Five Summers
by Solora Goldsun
Summary: When Ren's family moves to another state, he stays in close contact with his childhood friend, Nora. A summer writing workshop opens in their hometown, giving him a way to be with his best friend for one month each year. During the following five summers, the two begin to realize the true value of their friendship, and the potential for it to become something more. (Modern AU.)
1. First Summer: The Reunion

**This little beauty has been on my mind for a good while now. If you've read my older RWBY fic, "Haiku," you know that I am wholly on board the headcanon that Ren is a poet and likes to write haikus in his spare time. I also am on the headcanon that most of them are about Nora.**

 **The base inspiration for this actually came from a furry dating sim game called "Morenatsu." In it, the player is someone who goes back to his hometown for a month and romances one of his old childhood friends. It got me thinking: "Huh. What would the dynamic between Ren and Nora be if they were really close, but one of them moved away and could only come back over the summer?" That, combined with my recent searches for writing retreats, brought me around to the idea of a summer writing workshop camp.**

 **So, this story will take place over the course of five summers, hence the title, leading from before their freshman year at high school to before their freshman year at college. And there will be many haikus, of course. Enjoy!**

Fall. Ren: Age 7. Nora: Age 6 and a half

 _Memories of Fall_

 _I close my eyes, missing you_

 _Your bark-smudged laughter_

"Ren, you're really tiny!" Nora's voice called from a high tree branch. "Am I tiny?"

"No, you're just really high up," Ren replied, looking up from his book. "Be careful! Dad says the branches get smaller when you climb higher."

"I know, I know." Nora wrapped her arms around a nearby branch, allowing herself to lean on the trunk. "I just wanted to break my record." She made a face as a leaf went into her mouth. "Bleh! Stupid leaves!"

"The ninja in the book I'm reading uses leaves for camouflage." Ren pointed at an illustration of a black-clad kitten hiding in some bushes.

"Ooh, really?" Nora leaned over to try and look at the book. "Eep!" she cried as her feet slipped. Only the fact that she was already hugging a tree branch saved her from falling.

"Nora!" Ren stood up, eyes wide. His book fell to the ground. "Want me to get Dad?"

"No way!" Nora gritted. "He'll make us stop climbing the tree. Tell me where the branches are so I can climb down."

Ren, trying to beat down the panic rising in him, scrunched his forehead as he looked at the tree. "Put your right foot backward a little." Nora moved her left foot. "No, the other one! I keep telling you!"

"Sorry!" Nora carefully placed her right foot on a steady branch. Holding the other branch in her arms, she managed to maneuver herself back into her former position. "Okay, I'm coming down now."

"Be careful!" Ren watched as Nora descended, wincing whenever her foot would miss a branch or her hand would shake. Once she was on the ground, he hugged her tightly. "Stay on the ground for the rest of the day, okay?" he asked.

Nora breathed a long sigh. "You're such a worry-wart." Still, she returned his hug and nodded. "Okay. Promise." She moved back and tapped his nose with her finger. "Boop!"

Ren smiled. "Thanks."

"Show me the ninja!" Nora demanded, picking up the book from the ground. "What's he hiding from?"

"The pirates," Ren explained. "Ninjas and pirates hate each other, you see."

Nora's eyes lit up. "Ooh! Let's be ninjas and look for pirates!"

Ren tilted his head. "Where?"

"The creek, duh! Pirates need water for their ships. Come on! We'll hide in the bushes!" Nora started toward the path leading to the creek.

"Nora, wait! That's poison ivy! Stop!" Ren rushed after her, tucking his book into his bag as he ran.

….

Summer. Ren: Age 14. Nora: Age 13

 _Cobwebbed photographs_

 _Wipe nostalgic dust away_

 _Your smile's a beacon_

Looking at the small town of Oniyuri through the bus windows was like seeing slightly-altered photographs of the past. Ren watched the buildings from his childhood flash by: the candy store, the greasy fast food place that made the best fries in the world, one of two tiny grocery stores in the area, and the gazebo at the center of town. Then, the buildings faded and were replaced with a seemingly endless expanse of trees. It was at this point that the bus started to slow down.

Ren reached into his pocket and withdrew a wrinkled piece of paper, which he unfolded for what was probably the hundredth time.

 _Dear Ren,_

 _Omigosh, I can't believe you're actually coming back! I haven't seen you in so long! That time right after you moved was lame compared to how this will be. Not that the visit was lame overall, since I got to see you. You know what I mean, though! It was way too short and we were stuck with our parents the whole time. I can't wait to hang out the way we used to!_

 _I've been so worried about starting high school this year, but looking forward to seeing you is making everything better! Can't you just stay? I can hide you in my closet, if you want? Just kidding! (Mostly.)_

 _You'd better be ready to show me all your awesome poems and paintings! Those stuffy workshops will never appreciate them like I do, after all._

 _See you soon!_

 _Nora_

 _PS- Do the rooms have kitchens? I really miss your famous pancakes. Mom and Dad just can't do them the way you do._

Ren smiled as he read the note. It would be good to see Nora again after so long.

He still remembered that first day in kindergarten, when a group of kids had been making fun of him for not having a "real family." Nora had stepped in almost immediately, giving the bullies a thorough beating. She had gotten detention, and Ren had found a friend for life. He later found out that Nora was also adopted, so they felt an even stronger connection through that shared experience.

Then, during their second year of middle school, Ren's father's job relocated the family to the next state, in the city of Vale. Away from Nora.

Nora had cried for nearly an hour after Ren told her about the move. She only calmed down when he promised to write to her all the time and visit once they were older.

They kept that promise, writing to each other practically every week. They had also stayed in touch on the phone, calling almost religiously on a daily basis. Nora did most of the talking, but that was fine. Ren was always content to simply close his eyes, listen to her voice, and pretend he was back home.

The visit Nora had referenced in her letter had been a gift from her parents. For her birthday, they took a bus to Vale and stayed in a hotel for the week. However, since it was a big city, and Ren and Nora were still kids, they had been forced to stay under their parents' watchful eye the entire time. They had gone to a few movies, the mall, and the local park, but it paled in comparison to their earlier years of running around the neighborhood, climbing trees, and staying out till dark.

Now, they were both entering high school, and Ren had found a way to come back to Oniyuri: a new summer writing camp in the nearby park, where he could work on his haikus and see his best friend for a whole month.

It was actually thanks to Nora that he had started writing haikus in the first place. Writing letters on a regular basis could be tiring, and Ren didn't always have a lot to say. So, he started painting pictures on the paper and writing the small, traditional poems. Nora loved them so much, he included one with every letter, even when he actually did have something else to say.

The bus started to slow down, shaking Ren out of his thoughts and drawing his attention back to the window. They were nearing the bus stop, where a few other people of various ages were milling about. Taking his suitcase from the overhead compartment, he walked down the aisle. After thanking the bus driver, he got off and took a deep breath of the familiar air.

The park smelled every bit as green and alive as he remembered. Pine, oak, and maple trees lent their sharp, subtle scents and combined with the mown grass that surrounded the bus stop. It was practically enough to inspire a haiku right then.

"Uh, hi. You here for the writing camp too?"

Ren jumped a little when someone spoke nearby, then turned to see a taller blond boy smiling at him. "Yes. Are you one of the counselors?"

The boy shook his head. "Nope. I'm just another starving artist. All the other guys are here, and I was told that the last one was gonna be my roommate. You're Ren, right?" When Ren nodded, he grinned and held out his hand. "I'm Jaune. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Ren put down his suitcase to shake Jaune's hand.

"I knew who you were immediately," Jaune continued. "That girl won't stop going on about you."

"Girl?" Ren straightened, eyes widening hopefully. "Was she short with ginger hair and turquoise eyes?"

"Yeah, that's her," Jaune replied, his smile widening. "She's been darting around the area since morning. The counselors are getting kinda ticked about it, but since it's a public park, they can't exactly kick her out unless she does something illegal."

Ren groaned. "That sounds like her." A thought occurred to him. "Wait, why didn't she come to the bus stop?"

Before Jaune could answer, a blur darted out of the bushes, tackling Ren to the ground with a cry of "YOU'RE HERE!"

Ren shouted as his back hit the ground and the air was forced from his lungs. "Oof!" he groaned, shaking his head a few times, wondering if he had gotten a concussion. Then, he looked down at the source of his fall, and his worries became unimportant. "Hello, Nora."

Nora giggled, propping herself up to look at him, not bothering to roll off of his chest. "I got you!"

"You got me," Ren said agreeably. "Think you can let me up?"

Nora pouted as she rolled off of him. "You don't sound excited to see me. It's been over a _year_ , Ren!"

"Excitement requires air," Ren replied blandly as he stood. "Sorry about that," he added, glancing at Jaune.

Jaune was laughing. "I should be the one apologizing. She told me not to tell you she was hiding there."

Ren rolled his eyes. "Typical." He turned toward Nora, feeling himself smiling despite the lingering pain in his back and head. "It's good to see you, Nora." He held out an arm, inviting her to hug him.

Nora squealed, running over and hugging Ren's middle, lifting him from the ground for a moment. He felt just as warm as she remembered. "I still can't believe you're here! We're gonna have so much fun!"

"Nora," Ren wheezed. "Can't breathe."

"Whoops." Nora quickly put him down. "Sorry!" She stood on her toes and tapped his nose lightly with a finger. "Boop!"

Ren's smile immediately returned at the familiar gesture from their childhood. He glanced at Jaune. "Um, are there any events planned for today?"

"Just the introductory dinner at six," Jaune replied, seeming to read Ren's thoughts. "So, you two can get caught up. I got the feeling that you're old friends."

" _Best_ friends," Nora corrected proudly. "Since we were little."

Jaune nodded. "Well, why don't I show you to our room first? We don't want you getting lost on the way back."

"Lead on." Ren picked up his suitcase and followed Jaune. Nora skipped beside him, babbling excitedly about what they would do while he was home.

"We gotta go to the candy store, of course. And that tree is still standing. You know, the big one by the creek we used to climb. My parents are gonna want to see you, but I told them to keep the annoying grown-up talk to a minimum. Do you have any new haikus to show me? Huh?" She managed to say all of this without even taking a breath.

Ren nodded. "I have a few. I'll bring the folder when we walk around town. I really would like to see everything again."

After finding one of the counselors and signing in, they went to one of the newly-built two-person cabins and stepped inside. The interior was nothing special. There were two small beds, two dressers, and two modest desks. The bathrooms and showers were in separate facilities. Ren put his bag down on the unoccupied bed and fished around for his folder.

Nora looked around, pouting. "Aw, no kitchen."

"They probably don't want anyone accidentally burning the place down, Nora," Ren pointed out.

"Hey, I didn't ask for your logic!" Nora huffed, folding her arms.

Ren chuckled. "So, are you ready to go?"

"Uh, yeah! Come on, already!"

Jaune smiled as he watched the two. "Make sure to be back for that dinner at six. And curfew is at ten, just so you know."

"Thanks, Jaune," Ren replied. "I'll see you then." He was then taken by the hand and pulled forcefully out of the cabin and toward the path leading out of the park. "Take it easy, Nora. I'm going to be here for a month, remember?"

"That's so not enough time," Nora replied, rolling her eyes. "I still think you should just hide in my closet at home."

"Somehow, I feel like we would run into some problems if I did that," Ren said dryly. "So, where do you want to go first?"

"The candy store!" Nora replied promptly. "I was so excited to see you, I skipped breakfast to come here. So, I'm hungry!"

"You should probably eat something healthy before you have candy." Ren knew his words were useless, but felt obliged to say them just the same.

"Ugh. Whatever, Dad. Come on!" Nora pulled him down the sidewalk that led into town. "I kept going to the candy store on Fridays, but it just wasn't the same, you know?"

When they had been growing up, the two would often save their spare lunch money over the course of the week and then buy a small bag of candy each at the tiny, local candy store. Nora would always get maple-nut candies, and Ren would always get strawberry gummies. They'd then walk to the playground, sharing their treats between them, then play on the jungle gym once they were finished.

"I go with my friend Pyrrha," Nora continued. "I'll introduce you later. You'd like her! But she always gets those cinnamon gummies, and they just aren't as good as the strawberry ones."

"That must be so difficult for you," Ren muttered, allowing a rare hint of sarcasm to peek through.

Nora, of course, caught it immediately and elbowed him. "Hey, don't act like you haven't missed me too!"

Ren wrapped an arm around Nora's shoulders, managing an awkward hug as they continued to walk. "Of course I missed you," he told her. "Every day."

Nora's cheeks flushed as she was pulled close to Ren. She played it off with a bright grin and a tap on the nose. "Good!" she chirped. "I'd be really mad if you didn't!"

When they got to the candy store, Ren was surprised to see that the old man who had owned it when he was young was still there, and looked practically unchanged. "Well, look who's back home," the man said with a chuckle. "Nora's been going on and on about your big homecoming."

Ren smiled. "It's good to see you again, Chuck."

"So, is it still your usual?" Chuck asked, reaching for the large glass jar that held the pink gummies.

"Of course." Ren watched as Chuck filled two small bags, one with maple nut candies, one with the gummies. A powerful wave of nostalgia swept through him, and he suddenly felt like a little kid again. Everything about this moment made him feel as if nothing had changed. The shop still smelled like homemade fudge and paper wrapping. The candies looked the same. The only difference was that he and Nora were a little older, but that didn't seem to matter at all.

When Nora went for her wallet, Ren stopped her. "Let me," he said, pulling out some of the money his parents had given him and placing it on the counter. "Could you give us a small block of the chocolate fudge, as well?"

Nora's eyes lit up! "Ooh, can we also get-?"

"Easy, Nora," Ren cut in. "I do have a limit."

Nora shrugged. "It was worth a try."

After paying for their candy, the two naturally started walking down the sidewalk that led to the playground. Ren popped a gummy into his mouth and sighed happily. The regular gummy bears he would buy at the store honestly didn't compare to these. He held out his bag to Nora, who eagerly grabbed one.

"Mm! They're even better than I remember!" she said happily.

Ren raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? You haven't bought any since I left?"

Nora shook her head. "Nope. It didn't feel right, you know? You're supposed to buy the gummies. Buying both would just feel weird."

Ren's thought back to when he had first left. "I tried buying maple nut candies at the mall in Vale," he admitted. "They just didn't taste right."

"Because they weren't Chuck's, or because I wasn't there?" Nora asked, holding out her bag.

Ren took a candy and crunched down on it, savoring the familiar flavor. He looked down at his best friend's beaming face. "Definitely both."

When they reached the playground, they sat down on a bench, watching the kids playing on the jungle gym. Ren ate another gummy before taking out his folder. "So, I've edited a few of my haikus, but I'll wait to show you those after I workshop them. I painted three new ones this past month." He handed Nora three pieces of paper, his face flushing a little. "I hope they're good."

Nora rolled her eyes. "Ren, your haikus are always good!"

The first paper showed a flock of blue birds at the top, melding with a pale, cloudless sky. Bare, black trees extended their skeletal branches from below. The haiku sat between the images.

 _Fleeing from nothing_

 _Wingbeats stir the heartless air_

 _A cold sun rises_

Nora looked at the faded birds and the stark trees for a long moment, then switched to the next one. It showed a mighty, four-pointed stag staring at its reflection near a pine tree.

 _Talking to ripples_

 _Shadows blur a wary eye_

 _Distorted faces_

The last one held a cherry blossom tree that scattered petals across the paper.

 _Scattering beauty_

 _Watch the petals fly so far_

 _Blink and you'll miss them_

Ren watched Nora's expression carefully, his heart sinking when he saw the frown growing on her face. "You don't like them?"

Nora started. "Huh? No, no! I love them! They're super pretty! It's just…" She looked at the pages, then looked up at Ren. "Your poems have been kinda sad lately. It's a pretty kind of sad, but still. Have you been sad, Ren?"

Ren stared at the ground, folding his hands in front of him. "A little," he admitted.

Nora touched his arm, her face serious for once. "Wanna talk about it?"

"No," Ren replied, turning to smile at her. "I'm fine now."

There was still a twinge of unease in Nora's chest, but she didn't pursue the matter further. Instead, she scooted closer to Ren and hugged him around his middle. "I'm really glad you're back," she murmured.

Ren readily returned her hug, his heart warming happily at the familiar touch. "Me too, Nora. Me too."

….

Spring. Ren: Age 10

 _Hide behind pages_

 _Unwanted voices booming_

 _Seek only her call_

"Ren, sweetie! You've been invited to a birthday party." Ren's mother nudged a card across the table toward him.

Ren picked it up and looked at the address. His nose wrinkled. "Billy doesn't even like me," he muttered.

"Maybe he's changed his mind," his mother suggested.

"No," Ren sighed. "His mom made him invite everyone in the class." He put the letter down without opening it.

"Why don't you go?"

"I don't want to."

His mother continued to look at him. "It could be a chance to make some new friends."

Ren shook his head as he picked up his bag. He didn't know how to explain to his mother that his classmates were just so tedious to be around. They never let him talk, never listened to him, never really cared about what he thought. They just talked and gossiped about useless things. Only one person really made sense to him.

"I already got Nora," he said. "She's the only friend I want." Shouldering his bag, he went into his room, aware of his mother's concerned gaze following him as he closed the door.

 **I have always seen Nora and Ren as being two parts of a greater whole. Nora is the talkative one, and also the person who reaches out to others and makes any new friends. Ren is the calm, comforting one who quietly looks out for those around him and accepts whatever happens. I feel that, without Nora, he'd likely evolve into a more lonely and isolated individual, either not wanting to reach out or not having the ability to reach out to potential new friends. This story will delve more into that idea.**

 **It will also be much more Ren-centric, since we all know Nora's feelings, but not necessarily Ren's. The overall process of how he would fall in love with Nora is something I hope we get to see in canon. If Team Sloth becomes canon…and doesn't have one of them die immediately after it does… *glares at Rooster Teeth***

 **Anyway, this story is replacing "Wings of Dust" as my weekly-vs-biweekly fic, meaning that it will update every other Thursday on here, every Wednesday on P/atreon. If you want weekly updates, along with other rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	2. First Summer: Finding Inspiration

**Hello, my lovelies! We are back with the second chapter of this piece of fluffy goodness. Enjoy!**

Summer. Ren: Age 14, Nora: Age 13.

 _Dry pages turning_

 _Written words are rare snapshots_

 _Freeze time forever_

Jaune glanced up in response to a low growl from his roommate's bed. "Unhelpful criticism?" he asked.

"Yes!" Ren replied, his voice holding a rare edge of aggravation. "Half of them say that the poems should be longer, that they should rhyme, that they should have a different style. They're haikus! They're supposed to be a certain way!" A week had passed since he started the workshop classes, and he was already convinced that they were worthless.

Jaune made a sympathetic noise in his throat. "I know what you mean. Look at what this one person's saying about my poem."

"The one about the forest?" Ren asked. "I liked that one."

"You're basically the only one who did." Jaune handed one of his papers over. "See how I refer to the trees at night as 'shadow spires?'"

"Yes." Ren squinted at the note written next to the line in red pen. "'Spires are on buildings. Trees aren't buildings'?" He groaned, rolling his eyes. "It's called a metaphor!"

"Thank you!" Jaune threw his hands in the air. "I'm starting to wonder if these workshops are going to be completely useless. Have you looked at half of the stuff we need to critique for next week?"

Ren rifled through his folder. "This one holds some promise." He held out a packet.

Jaune looked at it. "'The Man with Two Souls.' Oh, that's by that one quiet girl. Yeah, she seems okay. I think she actually gave me some helpful notes, if I could find them…"

A knock on the door interrupted them. "Ren! Ren! Is your workshop over? Let's go! I brought Pyrrha with me!"

"The door's open, Nora," Ren called.

Immediately Nora bounded into the room. "Hey, Ren! That's a lot of papers." She picked one up and stuck out her tongue. "These people don't know anything. Your haikus are great!"

"I do need to accept criticism," he muttered, though he couldn't help but smile at her confidence. "That's part of a workshop."

"Nah. You only need my opinion." Nora put the paper down. "So, I was thinking we could go up to Books n' Brews. They got some new manga."

Before Ren could answer, a face peeked through the door. "I'm sorry. Is it okay if I come in?"

"Of course," Ren said, looking up at the girl as she stepped in. She was very tall, with green eyes, red hair, and a very kind smile. "You must be Pyrrha. Nora's written about you."

Pyrrha chuckled. "Probably not as much as she's told me about you." She glanced toward Jaune and nodded. "Hello."

Jaune waved. "Hey there! I'm Jaune."

"So, how about the coffee shop?" Nora continued. "Jaune, you can come with!"

Ren tried to remember how much his favorite tea used to cost. "I think I can spare enough for a small tea…"

"Get a large, and some pastries. I'm buying," Nora said. "Think of it as payback for the candy last week. Come on, please?" She stared at Ren with her bright turquoise eyes.

Of course, Ren was utterly incapable of resisting. "Okay. Let me just put these papers away first."

A few minutes later, the four were walking through the park toward town. Nora did most of the talking, wondering what baked goods would be available and ranting about the drivers that had almost hit her and Pyrrha on the way to the park. "Seriously, this town is tiny, but these old people drive like they're in the city or something!"

Pyrrha rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "They didn't come _quite_ that close to hitting us."

Ren looked fondly at the outside of Books n' Brews, a local coffee house/used book store that opened when he was still a toddler. His parents used to always bring him there to look at the cheap used books. They also had a special brand of spicy chai tea that he hadn't been able to find in Vale. Nora used to tag along when he went, eagerly stuffing her face with the sweetest pastry available that day.

The scent of brewing coffee and used books hit him immediately, causing him to sigh wistfully. "There's a coffee shop in Vale," he murmured. "But it's way too big."

The four walked up to the counter. Nora peered at the pastries through the glass. "After you left, this lady started making homemade baklava for the shop. It's really good."

Ren peered at the triangular, honey-soaked pastries through the glass. "I'll try one, and a small chai tea please," he told the lady behind the counter. Even though Nora had said he could get a large, he didn't want to make her pay too much.

Nora, of course, got hot chocolate and a slice of pink-frosted strawberry cake. Jaune just got a cream soda while Pyrrha ordered a coffee. The four sat down at one of the tables near the book shelves. Ren looked around, shoulders relaxing as he soaked in the familiar atmosphere.

"It's really nice to finally meet you," Pyrrha commented. "After seeing your work and hearing so much from Nora, I was really looking forward to the summer."

Ren blinked, giving Nora a questioning look. "You showed her the haikus?" A sinking feeling appeared in his chest. _Has anyone else seen them?_ The haikus he had written for Nora had been personal. The thought of a bunch of strangers reading them caused his throat to tighten.

Nora paused mid-sip, a worried expression coming to her face. "She asked about them…and they're really good, so…" She put down her mug. "Should I not have?"

Ren pushed down his anxiety as he looked at Nora's nervous eyes. "It's fine. Just…don't show anyone else."

"No one else has seen them, I promise!" Nora quickly assured him.

"I'm sorry," Pyrrha murmured. "I thought it was okay when she showed me. I really do like them, though. And the art is amazing. You should really consider making a book of them."

Ren stared at his tea. "Thank you, but I'm not sure if I can. Even bringing some of my more impersonal ones to workshops is difficult." He smiled hesitantly. "Honestly, I mostly used the workshop as an excuse to come back here."

This prompted Nora to scoot over and hug his arm. "Ren, you're the best!"

After they finished eating, the four spread out around the shelves. Ren and Nora gravitated toward the manga section while Pyrrha and Jaune both reached for the _X-Ray and Vav_ comics.

"Wait, you're an _X-Ray and Vav_ fan?" Jaune asked.

"Of course!" Pyrrha replied. "I'm on issue five right now."

Within minutes, the two were sitting against a nearby wall, poring over the comics.

Nora, meanwhile, was looking at the manga. "Ugh, so many of these have like a million books. How can I follow a story that's that long?"

"Life is a long story," Ren remarked. "Maybe they're trying to make that clear."

Nora giggled. "You even talk like a poet now!"

"Now?" Ren asked wondering exactly what Nora meant. "I haven't changed that much, have I?"

"Of course not!" Nora assured him. "You're still definitely Ren."

Ren smiled. "That's a relief."

Nora closed the manga she'd been looking at. "Have I changed at all?" she asked, a hint of curiosity creeping into her voice.

"Hm," Ren murmured. "Well, I think you definitely got shorter."

"Jerk!" Nora punched his arm.

"Ow!" Ren took a step back while laughing. "Okay, you also got stronger!"

"Oh, I didn't actually hurt you, did I?" Nora immediately tried to roll up his sleeve. "Did I leave a bruise?"

"Nora, I'm fine." Ren ruffled her hair. "I think a real punch from you would've knocked me over."

Nora grinned. "True. I did have to beat up a lot of bullies back in the day."

"It's nice that one of us could," Ren sighed, thinking back to how often Nora had needed to stand up on his behalf when they were growing up. He honestly wondered how she never got tired of it.

Nora watched his expression, a frown coming to her face. "Are there bullies in Vale? Is that why you've been sad?"

Ren blinked. "I haven't been-"

"I'm not _that_ forgetful, Ren," Nora interjected. "You said when you first got here that you've been sad. Is that why?"

"No," Ren muttered. "It's just…" He breathed a sigh. "I don't want you worrying about me."

"Well, now I'm gonna worry if you don't tell me!" Nora put her hands on her hips. "Come on, Ren. Tell! We're best friends, right? You know I won't make fun of you."

"I know that." Ren looked carefully at her before nodding. "Okay." He led her to a more secluded area by the shelves. Once there, he hesitated. He'd never been good with words, unless they were written down. He really didn't know where to begin.

"Take your time," Nora said, correctly reading Ren's nervous expression. "I won't say anything till you're done." She mimed zipping her lips to emphasize the point.

This caused Ren to chuckle a little despite himself. "You always understood me, Nora. Even when I was quiet." He looked at the ground. "I haven't found anyone like that since I moved away. I haven't really found…anyone in Vale."

Nora watched him silently, wanting to ask questions but resisting the urge.

Ren looked down at her. "That's really it. Besides calling you and writing letters, I really don't talk to anyone other than my parents. It feels like…no one wants to listen, or they just want to talk over me." He leaned against the shelf. "I mean, you talk a lot, but you always talk _to_ me. Everyone else just talks over me or at me. They don't actually care what I think." He glanced at her. "That's all."

Nora hugged him gently, resting her head on his arm. "I was lonely when you left too," she admitted. "Then I met Pyrrha, and started to feel better. You're still my best friend, though! Don't worry about that!"

"I'm not," Ren replied, resting his head on top of hers.

"Maybe you'll meet someone nice in Vale," Nora suggested. "Once you start high school, everything starts over. That's what I heard, anyway." She nodded toward the comic display. "And you and Jaune seem to like each other."

"He doesn't live in Vale, though," Ren said.

"It's still something," Nora replied. "And people care about what you think! They just need to learn how to listen to you."

"The people in the workshops certainly don't," Ren sighed. "I'm too afraid to bring in my more personal pieces."

"Are they all sad, like the ones you showed me?" Nora asked.

"Yeah," Ren sighed. "It's hard to be inspired in that city, so I just use my own feelings to create images. And since I've been mostly sad… I don't want people to look at me and think I'm whining about everything."

"Ooh!" Nora gasped, suddenly coming up with an idea. "I know! Let's get you to write some happy haikus! Since you're home, it should be easy."

Ren looked at her thoughtfully. "That could work… I haven't really had the chance to write any new ones."

"It's settled, then!" Nora clapped her hands together. "Hm, where should we go?" She tapped her chin, then her eyes lit up. "The creek! Remember how we used to play ninjas and pirates there?"

"How could I forget?"

"Let's go there!" Nora ran over to Jaune and Pyrrha. "Hey, we were thinking of going to the creek to get Ren inspired. You guys wanna come?"

Jaune blinked, looking up from his comic. "Uh, I'm good to stay here. How about you, Pyrrha?"

Pyrrha nodded. "I'd like to look at a few more books. You two have fun."

Ren and Nora walked out of the shop. Ren glanced down at Nora, frowning suspiciously when he saw the smirk on her face. "Nora, what is it?"

"They seem to be getting along, huh?" Nora muttered, rubbing her hands together. "I wonder if-"

"Nora, they literally just met today," Ren groaned. "Don't start playing matchmaker."

Nora pouted. "Aw, you're no fun. I bet we can get them together by the end of the summer."

"Nora, no…"

"Nora, yes!"

The creek was a bit different from how Ren remembered it, which made sense considering factors like weather and time. Still, the sound of water rushing over pebbles and trickling under the bridge was the same, as were the trees surrounding the area. "Be careful of the poison ivy," he muttered dryly, thinking back to their childhood.

Nora rolled her eyes. "Okay, _Dad_." She took off her shoes and socks, placing them on a rock. "Come on! The water looks great!"

Ren shook his head. "You go ahead. I'll see if I can get anything written."

Nora booped his nose. "Show me whatever you write, okay?" she chirped before running into the water. She giggled as the coolness lapped at her ankles.

The sound of the babbling water, combined with the musical sound of Nora's laughter, caused Ren's pen to practically move on its own. He alternated between watching his best friend and looking at the words on the page. When he was finished, he looked at the final result with a frown.

 _Turquoise orbs reflect the sun_

 _Laughter as magical as water_

 _A smile shimmers like ripples_

It wasn't even a haiku. Ren sighed, flipping to the next page to try again. This time, he decided to focus only on the water.

By the time Nora got back, he had a new one finished.

"I see a poem!" Nora chirped. "Show me, show me!"

Ren's brows were furrowed. "Okay, but it doesn't feel right." He handed over the paper bearing his newest haiku.

 _Sparkles in the stream_

 _The trees cast moving shadows_

 _Pebbles weather down_

Nora tapped her chin. "Hm. I like it, but you're right." She read it over a few times. "What if you switch the first and last lines?

Ren rewrote the poem at the bottom of the page and read it aloud.

 _Pebbles weather down_

 _The trees cast moving shadows_

 _Sparkles in the stream_

He sighed. "It still doesn't sound right."

Nora looked at it. "Hearing it both ways, the sparkles line seems kinda…weak compared to the other two. Know what I mean? Maybe rewrite that one?"

Ren crossed out the last line. He stared at the poem for a few seconds, chewing on the end of his pen as he looked around for something to inspire the last line. The sun was starting to go down, and he'd have to go to dinner soon. Still, he wanted to finish this poem before he went back.

Then, Nora pointed. "Look, a firefly! I haven't seen any yet."

Ren followed her gaze. It was true. There was a single firefly in the grass, its yellow light creating a gentle halo around its otherwise-dark form. As the two watched, the tiny insect flew away, passing close to the creek, creating a rippling yellow dot on the water.

Inspired, Ren wrote down a line, looked at it, nodded, and rewrote the poem. "How's this?"

 _Pebbles weather down_

 _The trees cast moving shadows_

 _Firefly reflections_

Nora looked at the poem and nodded. "That's way better than sparkles. Gives a more specific image."

Ren smiled. "Why aren't there people like you in my workshop?"

"You have Jaune, right?"

"Jaune mostly just says he likes my stuff and doesn't really suggest anything. The others try making the poems their own. You actually helped me come up with something better than what I originally wrote, that works for _my_ writing style." He smiled at her. "Thanks, Nora."

Nora's cheeks flushed. "Glad to help. Hey, maybe I'm a secret poet too!"

"Maybe," Ren laughed. He glanced at his phone and stood up. "Well, it's almost time for dinner. I hope Jaune didn't get too caught up in those comics."

"I'm sure he'll be on time." Nora put her shoes and socks on. She was looking at the creek when a sudden light came to her eye.

Ren raised an eyebrow. "I know that look. What are you scheming, Nora?"

Nora smirked, shaking her head. "Nope! It's a surprise. You'll have to wait."

"You can't even give me a hint?" Ren asked, now honestly curious. Nora was hardly ever able to keep a secret. The fact that she was even trying spoke volumes.

"Nope!" Nora replied, popping the p at the end.

Ren considered for a moment, then tried pouting. "Please?"

Nora burst out laughing. "Omigosh, Ren! Your face looks hilarious!"

Ren blushed, folding his arms. "Well, you're usually the one pouting at me! I was just trying to imitate you…"

"Hey, I never look that goofy!"

"I could definitely argue with that," Ren muttered, allowing a smirk to come to his face.

"Oh yeah? Why don't you say that to my face?" Nora shook her fist, prompting a snickering Ren to bolt off in the direction of the cabins. "Get back here! I will noogie you to death for insulting me!"

Ren's face hurt a little from how much he had been smiling and laughing throughout the day. Clutching his notebook with his two new poems to his chest, he felt that he could definitely get used to the feeling.

….

Winter. Ren: Age 8 and a half. Nora: Age 8

 _Herbs warming my soul_

 _Drowsy weight on my shoulder_

 _Lazy contentment_

"Ren, I found one!" Nora whispered, her hands behind her back. It was a late afternoon in Books n' Brews, and Ren's parents had treated them to some snacks as a reward for getting good grades on their most recent quiz.

"One what, Nora?" Ren looked up from his tea, glancing in the direction of his parents, who were browsing some of the newer books that had been donated.

"An _adult manga_ ," she breathed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She beckoned for Ren to follow.

When they got behind a shelf, Nora giggled, pulling the book out from behind her back. "Look! There's a big 18 on the corner, meaning _only adults can read it._ " She sidled up next to Ren. "Let's open it!"

Ren glanced around, convinced that his mother would somehow materialize out of the wall if they did this. "I think you should put it back…" he muttered.

"Oh, don't be a scaredy-cat." Nora opened the manga and looked at it. "Huh. Nothing here." She started flipping through the pages.

Ren kept his gaze averted, determined to have no part in this.

"Oh, ew!" Nora squeaked.

Unable to resist, Ren turned to look at the page. His stomach twisted. "Are those a person's _ribs_?" he gasped.

"Being _pulled out of his chest?!_ " Nora closed the manga and dropped it on the ground, staring at it as if it would jump up and bite her. "Adults are _sick_!"

Ren could only nod in agreement, eyes wide. "Want to read something else?"

"Yes!"

When Ren's parents found them, they were sitting against the wall near the children's books. Their mugs were empty and had been set to the side. Nora was snuggled against Ren, listening as he read quietly aloud from a book with a red dragon on the cover.

It was over an hour before they finally went home.

 **A lot of my own experiences with writing workshops were bleeding through at the beginning. It can be rough when you write in a style that isn't the norm for your class. I, for example, only got a handful of helpful criticism when I submitted my fantasy works during college, since colleges generally only like "literary fiction," and not "genre fiction" such as fantasy, sci-fi, or romance. I figured that Ren would face similar problems with his haikus.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support in exchange for rewards, including weekly updates on this fic, please consider pledging to my P/atreon, which is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	3. First Summer: Fireflies and Promises

**Greetings friends! This update comes at a good time, considering what's going on in canon. I just need to say this right now: ROOSTER TEETH HAD BETTER KEEP THEIR HANDS OFF OF MY BABIES! I'm not playing around here, okay? I'm legit nervous! I mean, the last time we had a ship that was totally adorable and had a song in the soundtrack become canon, THINGS DID NOT END WELL! My trust issues with RT have resurfaced, and I don't think I'll be calm until the Volume ends. *hugs Ren and Nora close while hissing threateningly at RT***

 **Ahem. Anyway, enjoy!**

Summer. Ren: Age 14. Nora: Age 13.

 _Summer's melting heat_

 _Yellow brands perch on ice cream_

 _Sticky black asphalt_

Ren asked a few more times over the course of the month what Nora's surprise was, but was never able to learn anything new. In the meantime, he continued to go to the workshops, submitting his more impersonal poems and taking most criticism with a grain of salt. There were some people who gave helpful feedback, such as the dark-haired girl who liked writing short stories.

Also, thanks to Nora's influence, Ren found himself writing a new haiku practically every day.

Jaune, on the other hand, was finding it harder and harder to feel inspired. The workshops only became harsher for him as time went on. By the time the last week of camp arrived, he was wondering if he should just give up on poetry in general.

"Don't worry, Jaune," Pyrrha said, touching his shoulder as he stared mournfully at a paper that had more red ink on it than black. "No one is perfect when they first start out."

"Some of my earlier haikus are pretty bad," Ren added.

"No, they aren't!" Nora protested.

"You're biased, Nora."

Jaune sighed. "I know it's not the best, but writing stuff is like putting my soul out there, you know? When people rip it apart like they do in the workshop, it feels really personal. How can I try publishing my stuff one day if this is what I get in a small classroom?"

"Maybe it'll make you more thick-skinned when you hear critics in the future," Pyrrha suggested.

"Maybe…"

Nora nudged his shoulder. "Come on. Cheer up! It's our last week. We should be having fun!" She rubbed her hands together eagerly. "I say we pool our money, go to the ice cream place, and get a Destroyer!"

Jaune blinked. "What's a Destroyer?"

Ren smiled as he thought back to his childhood. "It's a giant bowl with four bananas, ten scoops of ice cream, and five toppings. Nora and I tried three times to finish one, but never could."

"We're older now and have four people," Nora declared. "We can totally do it this time!"

"It is pretty warm out today," Pyrrha murmured.

"Hey, I'm not any diets!" Jaune said, brightening immediately at the prospect of ice cream. "How much is it?"

"Twenty."

"I think I have five bucks somewhere…"

Of course, once they reached the ice cream shop, there was a great deal of talk concerning which ice cream flavors and toppings would be used. Finally, it was decided that there would be three scoops of chocolate, two strawberry, one coffee (which Nora was forbidden to touch), two salted caramel, and two vanilla. For toppings, they decided on hot fudge, marshmallow fluff, cherries, whipped cream, and rainbow sprinkles.

They sat down outside and immediately started tackling the giant bowl. Nora attempted to sneak a bit of the coffee ice cream, only for Ren to smack her wrist.

"No, Nora!"

Nora pouted. "Just one bite won't hurt."

"I'm not taking any chances," Ren said firmly.

Pyrrha was nodding in agreement. "We met when the cafeteria started selling those canned coffees. She drank three and started zipping around the tables."

"Yep! Then, you picked me up just as I ran by you!" Nora chirped.

Ren raised an eyebrow. "You picked up Nora? You must be strong?"

Nora's eyes flashed. "You're not saying I'm fat, are you?"

Ren held up his hands. "It's all muscle, Nora. Please don't kill me." He couldn't keep from grinning.

Nora snickered, unable to keep up an angry face for long. "Good save."

The four continued to eat for a few more minutes, until Jaune jumped away from the table with a yelp. "Wasp!"

The others immediately stood and backed away. Sure enough, a large, poison-yellow wasp was circling around the bowl. It landed on the edge, flew around again, then landed right in the middle of the melting ice cream.

The four exchanged a glance. "So, accept defeat this time around?" Nora suggested.

Another wasp landed on the table, prompting the others to nod rapidly in agreement. They walked quickly away, abandoning their melting Destroyer to the heartless yellow demons that craved it.

The four continued to walk around town throughout the rest of the afternoon. When the sun started setting, Nora tugged on Ren's sleeve.

"Ren, remember that surprise I talked about?"

Ren nodded. "Yes. Are you finally ready to tell me what it is?"

Nora giggled. "Nope! I'm gonna show you. Come on!" She hugged his arm, moving back toward the park.

Jaune glanced at Pyrrha. "Hey, Pyrrha. I was thinking of caving and getting _Issue #8_ of _X-Ray and Vav_ at the coffee shop. Wanna come with?"

Pyrrha smiled. "Okay."

The two walked off. Once they were a good distance away, Nora giggled. "This is happening!"

Ren rolled his eyes. "They're hanging out together, just like we are."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean they won't end up _together-together_!"

"By that logic, we should already be together-together." Ren ruffled Nora's hair teasingly. "Now, what about that surprise?"

Nora stared up at him, her cheeks rapidly flushing, before she quickly remembered where she was. "Oh, uh, right! Follow me!"

The two walked down the sidewalk and into the park. Ren frowned as he noticed how dark it was getting. "Nora, will you be able to get home?"

"I brought a flashlight," she replied. "I had to wait till dark to show you the surprise."

Once they got to a darker area, Nora took out her flashlight and led Ren down a strangely-familiar path. It wasn't until they were near the end when Ren realized where they were going.

"The firefly field!"

Nora grinned. "That's right. I realized that, if one firefly by the creek could inspire you, a whole bunch should give you inspiration for days! I kept coming here to see if there were a lot of them. Finally, these past few nights, there've been a ton."

Ren's heart warmed at Nora's simple excitement. He honestly didn't know if he ever would have gotten as far as he had with his haikus without her constant encouragement.

They stepped out of the trees and into a small field. Ren let out a gasp at the sight.

The moon was rising, and several stars were out, twinkling across the dark purple sky. This was mirrored in the gray, shadowed grass, where thousands upon thousands of tiny yellow lights were shimmering, flashing, and flying. One flew close to Ren's face, prompting him to hold out his hand. The firefly perched on his finger, sat there for a moment, then took off again.

Nora turned toward Ren, ready to say something, but fell silent as she looked at the smile on his face. It was different than the dry smiles he would flash when joking around with her, or the wider smiles he would sport when laughing. This was a small, happy smile that spoke of pure peace and contentment. The yellow lights of the fireflies reflected off of his magenta eyes, and Nora didn't think there was a sight more beautiful anywhere. She wished in that moment that she was poetic like Ren, just so she could mentally articulate just how she felt.

They walked through the field in silence, hand in hand, treading carefully so that they wouldn't crush any of the fireflies. They eventually found a log to sit on. The dancing lights surrounded them, illuminating their faces.

"Ren?" Nora whispered, not wanting to speak too loudly.

"Yes, Nora?" Ren replied in an equally-quiet voice.

"I want you to promise me something." Nora turned and looked intently up at him. "I want you to promise to make some friends this fall."

Ren blinked, tearing his gaze away from the fireflies to look at his best friend. "What do you mean?"

Nora huffed. "You know what I mean. I don't want you to get all sad again when you go back to Vale. There's good things about being in a city. I know there are. If you find friends to enjoy them with, you might find them easier." She hugged his arm. "Please, Ren? It really isn't hard. You just need to say hi."

Ren hesitated. "I…I don't know if I can," he muttered. "I don't like talking that much, unless it's with you. How would I approach someone?"

"Maybe find someone who's hyper like me," Nora suggested. "We usually like latching onto the quiet ones." She squeezed his arm to emphasize the point. "So, will you promise?"

Ren couldn't say no to her shining turquoise eyes. He never could. "Okay, Nora. I'll try."

"Good!" Nora booped his nose, grinning brightly. "Just remember: No one's allowed to replace me as your best friend. Got it?"

Ren chuckled, lightly tapping her nose in return. "Nora, no one could ever replace you in my life."

Nora felt her face grow hot, and was immensely grateful for how dark it was. "Well, duh," she murmured, her voice coming out much softer and shier than she had intended. "I'm awesome."

That night, Ren pulled a blanket over himself and used his small pocket flashlight to illuminate his notebook. He wanted to get a new haiku down while the memory of that night was still fresh in his mind.

 _Stars dance through tall grass_

 _Yellow lights in turquoise eyes_

 _Shimmer forever_

…

Fall. Ren: Age 5. Nora: Age 4 and a half

 _My grinning savior_

 _Dirt-faced guardian angel_

 _First glimpse of sunlight_

"Give it back!" Ren grabbed at his notebook, only to be shoved to the ground by two large hands.

"Who's gonna make me?" the bigger boy mocked, waving the notebook over his head.

"Why don't you run home to your mommy?" another one laughed. "Oh wait! You don't' have one!"

Tears started streaming down Ren's face. "I do!" His adopted parents had always told him that he was their son, no matter what. He choked on a sob when the first boy started ripping pages from the notebook.

"Hey, leave him alone!" a new voice shouted from behind Ren. He looked over his shoulder to see a small, ginger-haired girl with bandaged knees and folded arms. She had pink shorts and a dirt-covered orange shirt.

The boys started laughing. The girl narrowed her eyes, stepping forward. Ren felt his heart sink. "Don't! They'll hurt you!"

The girl ignored him, walking right up to the first boy. In a blur, her fist shot forward. The boy howled in pain, clutching a bloody nose. Ren's notebook fell to the ground. The girl then spun around, kicking the other boy in the knees. In one smooth motion, she picked up the notebook and walked over to Ren.

"Hi, I'm Nora. Are you okay?"

Ren gaped at her. "I…yes." He accepted his notebook. "Thanks."

"Nora Valkyrie!" the voice of the playground monitor shouted.

Nora flinched. "Uh oh…"

Ren watched helplessly as the ginger girl was taken inside by the playground monitor. His protests that the boys had started the fight fell on deaf ears. At the end of the day, he waited outside the classroom, not quite knowing why.

When Nora came out after her detention, scowling in defiance over her shoulder, she was surprised to see Ren sitting outside. "Hi," she said. "Were you waiting to see the teacher?"

"No, I…" Ren glanced at his feet. "I was waiting for you."

"Really?" Nora's face lit up. "Do you wanna be friends?"

Ren blinked in surprise. Slowly, for the first time that day, a smile came to his face. "Yes!"

Nora grinned. "Yay! My first friend!" She jumped forward, hugging Ren tightly, nearly causing him to fall over. Something occurred to her, and she stepped back. "Hey, you didn't tell me your name."

"Oh, it's Ren," Ren replied, still slightly stunned after the sudden hug.

"Ren, huh? That's a nice name!" Nora chirped. "Let's be best friends from now on, okay Ren?"

Ren found himself nodding eagerly. "Okay!"

….

Summer. Ren: Age 14. Nora: Age 13

 _Coldness creeping in_

 _The sun can't shine forever_

 _Farewell to summer_

Ren's heart was heavy as he stood next to Nora at the bus stop. His hand was tightly entwined with hers. For a moment, Nora's joking suggestion to hide in her closet for the duration of the school year seemed like an actual option.

"You'll call every day, right?" Nora murmured, leaning against Ren's side.

"Of course." Ren squeezed her hand. "And I'll keep writing."

"Keep sending me those haikus, okay?"

"I will." He took a paper out of his folder and handed it over. It was the haiku he had written by the creek, complete with a pastel drawing of the creek and the single firefly that had flown by.

Nora smiled as she looked at it. "This one's my new favorite."

There was another moment of silence. Ren could hear the bus in the distance. Nora stood on her toes and tapped his nose. "Boop!"

Ren smiled despite himself. "I'll be back next year, Nora. I promise."

They hugged each other tightly until the bus pulled up. Then, Ren took a deep breath, picked up his bag, and stepped away. The watery smile Nora was giving him was nearly enough to break his heart, but he didn't look away, even when he was in the bus and peering out the window. To his surprise, someone else was getting on the bus behind him. She sat down at the front and pulled out a book. Ren recognized the girl who had written the short stories about the two-souled man.

The bus sat there for another moment before the doors closed. Ren tried to keep Nora in his line of sight for as long as possible, but she quickly faded into the trees as the bus pulled away. He closed his eyes, trying not to let the tears building up behind them fall.

The ride would be two hours before leaving off at another station, where the next bus would take him the last three hours. For the first few minutes, he skimmed one of the books he had gotten from Books n' Brews.

His eyes kept getting drawn toward the girl at the front of the bus. He hesitated, then moved up a seat. "Hello," he greeted.

The girl glanced up from her book. She had piercing amber eyes. "Hello. You were in the workshop, weren't you?"

"Yes. I'm Ren." Ren tried to think of something to say. "I really liked your story."

The girl closed her book, her expression softening a little. "Thanks. I'm Blake." She thought for a moment. "Ren, huh? I remember you actually had good feedback for me."

"Good feedback was pretty rare in those workshops, huh?"

"Tell me about it."

"So, where are you going?" Ren asked.

"Vale. I just moved there a month ago," Blake sighed. "A new town, and I'm just entering high school. Talk about hellish."

Ren felt himself smiling. "Maybe it won't be as hellish as you think."

 **It's funny that how they canonically met was the complete opposite of how I pictured it. I always imagined Nora saving Ren somehow, not the other way around. I guess it makes sense, though. Ren makes her brave, then she kicks ass. I'm convinced that she beat up bullies on his behalf in the past. There has been a trail of broken legs. A trail. *nods***

 **Well, now we just wait for Saturday (or Sunday). And…pray. *worried Solora noises***

 **If you like what you see and want to show support in exchange for rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	4. Second Summer: A Rainy Return

**Spoilers in the Author Notes for the finale.**

…

…

…

 **HOLY CRAP THE SHIPPING GODDESS HAS SMILED DOWN ON US! PRAISE THE OTP!**

 **Ahem. I was very happy/relieved with the results of the finale. It's nice that we can actually breathe for a bit (until October, when shit will likely happen to make us cry). I gotta say, I was starting to worry about Volume 4, but the last few episodes brought my hopes back up and I'm honestly excited about Volume 5. I'd be more excited if there was a Pyrrha in the group, but we can't exactly change that.**

 **Anyway, here's some more of this Team Sloth goodness. Enjoy!**

Winter. Ren: Age 14 and a half. Nora: Age 14.

 _Dear Nora,_

 _You're getting a full letter this time, because I have a story to tell, and you know I prefer to write out long stories rather than talking about them on the phone. There was a fight in the hallway today. It was pretty scary, actually._

 _It was just outside my history classroom, so I had a full view. These two girls were ripping into each other. Literally. They were using their fingernails to scratch at each other's faces. One of them ripped a chunk of hair from the other. I know most guys say they'll never hit a girl, but now I think it's because they're afraid of getting ripped to pieces. Anyway, I asked someone later on about why these girls had been fighting. Apparently, one of them had sent a photo of some sort to the other's boyfriend. I don't know if it was a nude, and didn't ask._

 _I don't get it. We just became teenagers. What exactly is the appeal of sending naked pictures, or even getting into these jealous relationships? It seems like there's more drama involved than actual enjoyment._

 _I asked Mom about it. She says that high school romances rarely last, and I believe it. Friendships are far less complicated, I think._

 _In other news, I went to the movies with Yang and her younger sister, Ruby. Ruby's surprisingly mature for her age, and she reminds me a lot of you. I think you two would get along really well._

 _I included a new haiku. I hope you enjoy it. (Guess what events inspired it.) Until next time!_

 _Sincerely,_

 _Ren_

 _Voices turn to wind_

 _Hot air rips into faces_

 _Claws of suffering_

Ren painted a picture of two angry-looking cats fighting on the paper holding the haiku, knowing it would amuse Nora. He read over the letter a few times, then folded it and put it into an envelope. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret that he wouldn't be able to tell Nora this story personally. He could just imagine the scandalized gasps and muffled giggles that she would let out in response to the image of a high school cat fight.

 _Well, this won't be the only bit of drama to make fun of,_ Ren rationalized. _We are just in our first year of high school, after all._ He thought about the fight, and then about his friends. He couldn't help but silently thank whatever force in the universe had granted him so many female friends who would never cause him any petty drama.

He put the letter into his mailbox and glanced at the calendar on the nearby wall. _Just a few more months,_ he thought with a sigh. _I'll have to save a few stories to tell her when I see her…_

…

Summer. Ren: Age 15. Nora: Age 14

 _Drops of silver rain_

 _Streams of contentment flowing_

 _Shining reflections_

It was raining as the bus approached Oniyuri Park, but that did nothing to ruin Ren's mood. He stared out the window eagerly, waiting to catch a glimpse of the bus stop.

Next to him, Blake chuckled. "And you say you're not in love with her."

"We're best friends, Blake. That's all," Ren replied.

Blake rolled her eyes. "And I suppose you'll tell me that's a 'friendship bracelet,' huh?" she said, eying the pink and green woven bracelet Ren was wearing on his right wrist.

"That's exactly what it is!" Nora had sent it with one of her letters in February.

"Right." Blake continued to smirk lazily as the bus pulled to a halt.

Ren looked out the window, frowning when he didn't see Nora. _She could be waiting to tackle me like last year,_ he thought. _The rain certainly wouldn't stop her._

Not that he'd mind too much, as long as his papers didn't get wet. He just wanted to see her again.

His first year of high school had gone surprisingly smoothly. This was helped largely by the easy friendship that had developed between him and Blake. After realizing that they were both new to Vale, they spent much of the bus ride home the previous year comparing experiences. Blake shared Ren's opinion that the city was often too loud. The last hour was spent in comfortable silence reading their books.

Once high school started, Blake became acquainted with a girl named Yang, who made Ren think of a taller, more aggressive Nora. It made him wonder if quiet people like him actually had some sort of magnet that drew extroverts to them.

He wrote to Nora frequently about high school and his new friends. He was glad to hear that she and Pyrrha had remained close in the meantime. Jaune also apparently went to Oniyuri frequently, since he lived in the next town over. Ren kept in contact with him as well.

He certainly felt more consistently happy than he had been in a long time, but nothing compared to the joy he felt knowing that he would see Nora again. Nothing compared to the sense that he was finally coming home.

"It's coming down pretty hard," Blake said as she followed him off the bus. "She might be waiting at the camp."

"Possibly." Ren winced as several large drops of rain hit his head, and took out his umbrella. "Here. It should be big enough for both of us."

Sure enough, as they approached the cabins, Ren heard a familiar voice babbling excitedly. "And then, we sold the bear pelts and went to college early with the profits. It was crazy!"

"And you've been having the same dream for the past week?" another familiar voice replied. "I wonder if it means something."

"Nora! Jaune!" Ren called.

A loud "EEEP!" followed by running feet signaled Nora's approach. "Ren! Omigosh, you were taking forever!" Nora rushed out of the nearest picnic area, stopping short when she saw Blake. "Oh, hi there."

"Hello." Blake stepped to the side. "You can go ahead and tackle him now."

Nora, of course, needed no more prompting. She rushed forward, throwing her arms around Ren's waist. "Hi!" she chirped.

"Oof!" Ren barely managed to brace his feet enough to keep from falling backwards. "Hello, Nora."

Nora stuck out her tongue. "You could sound a little more excited."

"Uh, yay?" He laughed as Nora started playfully smacking his shoulder. "Okay, okay! I'm very excited!"

"That's more like it!" Nora said with a smirk. She then turned to Blake. "Hi! You must be Blake. I'm Nora." She held out her hand.

Blake smiled as she shook it. "Nice to meet you. Ren's told me a lot about you." Eyes glinting, she added: "You could say he never shuts up about you."

Ren's cheeks flushed. "That's not true!"

"Don't worry. I guarantee Nora talks about you more." Pyrrha stepped out from the picnic area, followed closely by Jaune.

"Yep!" Nora said, grinning unabashedly.

Once Ren and Blake signed in and put their bags in their respective cabins, Nora immediately started talking about what they could do next. "I mean, I had like a billion ideas, but since it's raining so hard, we can't do any of them, so UGH!"

Jaune folded his arms thoughtfully. "We could just hang out in the cabins. It'd be a little cramped, though."

Blake shrugged. "Well, I'm going to my cabin. I'm tired." She waved to Ren. "Have fun. Nice meeting all of you."

Once Blake walked off, Pyrrha spoke up. "My parents got me 'Super Smash Bros.' for my birthday. I wasn't going to say anything, since we only have four controllers, but if Blake's going to take a nap anyway…"

"That works!" Nora said. "And we can invite her next time. We'll just switch who gets the fourth controller."

With that decided, the four went into town, Pyrrha leading them to her house. When they got there, Ren couldn't help but stare. It was large and built in a Victorian style, painted white with green shutters. Trimmed rose bushes sat under the windows, and there were several lawn decorations scattered about.

Pyrrha opened the door, frowning. "It's unlocked. I guess my mother's home," she muttered.

Ren noticed Nora grimacing and tilted his head at her. "What…?" 

"Don't ask," Nora replied.

They stepped in and were immediately hit with a cold breath of air conditioning and the smell of a cinnamon plug-in air freshener. "Pyrrha, is that you? Could you come here a minute? I'm in the kitchen."

Pyrrha groaned before replying. "I'm here with my friends, Mother."

"It'll only take a second. Tell your friends to make themselves at home."

Pyrrha gave the others an apologetic look. "Nora, can you set up the game? The system should be connected to the TV already."

"Sure thing," Nora replied, leading the others into the living room, which was immaculately clean and filled with leather couches and armchairs.

Ren sat down on the sofa as Nora started fiddling with the television. He glanced at Jaune, wanting to ask what was going on with Pyrrha's mother, but not wanting to be too nosy.

Jaune noticed Ren's look. "Pyrrha's mom is really…involved. She has her doing four different sports and three other activities at school. And she has her own ideas about how Pyrrha should be doing things. All the time."

Ren gaped. He only had one extracurricular, at his mother's insistence, which was the school newspaper. Even then, it involved little more than showing up to meetings and submitting a haiku for every issue. "Seven clubs overall?! Does she sleep?"

"Sometimes, no," Nora grumbled, plugging in the controllers.

At that moment, Pyrrha walked in. When the others looked at her, she sighed. "I had track practice today, but the coach said I could be excused. I wanted to see you when you got here, Ren. Mother wants me to do some extra running this evening." She plopped down on the couch with a groan.

Ren frowned. "I'm sorry."

Pyrrha shook her head. "I wanted to visit everyone today, and I've been doing so much extra practice already. I wish Mother would let me take a break just once…"

"What do you do besides track?"

"I do cross-country during the off-season for track, and then soccer and basketball throughout the year."

Ren's muscles hurt just imagining that. He decided to change the subject. "So, does anyone have dibs on certain characters?"

"I'm Pikachu!" Nora shouted, to which Jaune and Pyrrha groaned.

"Please don't Thunder Spam us _again_!"

"It's a legit strategy!"

"I got dibs on Mewtwo," Jaune said.

"I'm Sheik," Pyrrha said, then glanced at Ren. "Unless you want to be Sheik."

Ren shook his head. "No, I'll be Falco."

As they played, it became apparent that Jaune and Pyrrha were the true masters. Nora focused on Thunder Spamming, while Ren was mostly button-mashing without remembering what each combination actually did. They were killed off quickly, and sat back to watch Jaune and Pyrrha fight.

"Take that, you crossdressing ninja!"

"Eat this, kitty clone!"

Nora giggled. "This is the only time you'll see Pyrrha trash-talk anyone," she whispered to Ren.

"That's probably a good thing," he replied. He noticed that Nora had snuggled into his side and was practically in his lap. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her. "Miss me?"

"Well, duh!" Nora replied, eagerly hugging him back. "You?"

"Of course." Ren rested his head on top of hers. "Blake and Yang are good friends, but I still miss my best friend."

Once Pyrrha won, they started another game. At one point, Pyrrha's mother brought them smoothies. "This one has your protein powder, Pyrrha," she said, pointing to one of the glasses.

"Thank you," Pyrrha said. She sipped her smoothie and grimaced at the bitter aftertaste.

As it drew closer to the evening, Jaune pointed out that he and Ren had to be at the camp for the welcome dinner. "Then, it's on to the workshops…"

"I'm sure things will be better this year," Ren assured him. "We've all improved."

"Maybe you have," Jaune muttered.

"I liked the last poem you wrote," Pyrrha said. "The one about the river. That was really nice."

Jaune smiled shyly. "Thanks."

"Ooh, that reminds me! Ren, do you have any new haikus to show me?" Nora asked.

"Yes, but I didn't want to bring my folder with me. I'll show you when it's not raining," Ren promised.

"Yay!" Nora hugged him again. "I can't wait! I love your haikus and drawings!"

Ren's chest and cheeks warmed as he hugged her back. Most of the people at the workshop were hoping to get published in the future and become well-known for their works. Ren honestly felt that he'd be satisfied if he only ever showed his pieces to Nora and could always look forward to her excited response and glowing praise. He realized just how sappy these thoughts were even as he thought them.

… _I'm starting to see why Blake is so convinced I have a crush._ Not that he actually did. Nora was his best friend, after all, and everyone in high school knew that dating a close friend only ever led to disaster. Ren had seen enough hallway dramas to know that.

They went outside, just as the first rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance. Ren shivered a little. A small hand slipped into his and he felt Nora leaning comfortingly into his side. He smiled down at her and squeezed her hand as they started down the sidewalk.

….

Fall. Ren: Age 7. Nora: Age 6 and a half.

 _Crashing fantasies_

 _Hammers pound the helpless clouds_

 _Fire streaking away_

Ren was awoken by a loud clap of thunder that caused the very house to shake. He yelped in surprise, trembling as he hugged his pillow and tried to retreat further into his sleeping bag.

"Ren?" Nora's sleepy voice called over. She popped her head out of her bag. "You okay?"

"Y-Yeah," Ren muttered. "I'm f-f-fine."

"You're shivering! Are you cold?" Nora took her pink blanket out. "Need this?"

"N-No, I'm- EEP!" Ren squeaked as the thunder crashed again.

There was a rustling before Nora was right next to him. "Mommy says that the thunder is a bunch of giants bowling in the sky."

Ren sniffled as an ominous rumble sounded overhead. "I wish they'd bowl quietly."

Nora unzipped her sleeping bag. "Wanna sleep here?" She held up her pink stuffed bear. "Mister Pinky will keep us safe." She looked over. "Do you have Cloud?"

Ren nodded, holding out his black cat stuffed animal. "He's scared too."

"Then, you should both sleep over here!" Nora declared.

Another loud boom prompted Ren to hurriedly unzip his sleeping bag and crawl over. There was some fumbling as they zipped it up. It was really warm with both of them and their stuffed animals packed in. Still, Ren couldn't remember ever feeling safer.

When the thunder clapped again, Ren hugged Nora closer. His eyes shut and he let out a yawn. "Thanks, Nora," he muttered.

"Thank Mister Pinky. He's the one being brave for all of us!" Nora replied, nuzzling her best friend's chest. "What if you slept over every night? We could protect you from the thunder all the time!"

Ren sighed. "I don't think our parents would let us."

Nora nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah. Oh well. You can be brave without me, right?"

Ren didn't answer. He just closed his eyes and tried to focus on Nora's breathing rather than the giants bowling outside.

 **THEY ARE SUCH DORKS! Sorry. I've been having random bursts of "EEEEEEE" since they became canon. And they ARE canon! I don't care that they haven't kissed yet, okay? They are motherfriggin canon!**

 **I inserted some personal headcanons. I feel that Pyrrha's parents would be the "overly-involved soccer mom" type. They love their kid, but really need to back the hell off. And Ren continues to be an oblivious dork. Because of course he is. I mean, it took him this long in canon to figure things out. Imagine the pushes he'd need if he only saw Nora during a month each year!**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support in exchange for rewards, including weekly updates of this fic, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**

 **(Boop.)**


	5. Temporary Hiatus

**Hello, everyone. After much deliberation, I have decided that it is necessary for me to put "Five Summers" on temporary hiatus.**

 **It's my own fault. I started posting this fic before I had a sufficient backlog for it, and ended up falling behind on the backlog for my other fics. I'm currently at a point where I'm scrambling each week to post chapters of each of my three weekly fics on time (this one is updated weekly on P/atreon).**

 **Since I have more of an idea on where "Wings of Dust" and "Once in a Shattered Moon" are going to go, I decided to focus on rebuilding my backlog for those two fics. Then, I'll build one for "Five Summers." Then, I'll start posting chapters again on P/atreon every week and here every other week, like before.**

 **This isn't being discontinued, but for the sake of my sanity and the overall quality of my fanfictions, I feel that this hiatus is the right move to make. I'm terribly sorry, and hope that you guys will be patient while I get my act together.**

" **Wings of Dust" and "Once in a Shattered Moon" will still be updated every Tuesday and Friday respectively.**


	6. Second Summer: Blanket Forts

***blows dust off this fic* Yeah, fellas. I told you this was just a hiatus, and a dragon always keeps their word. Sorry for the wait, but I now have a sufficient backlog for all of my stories, and with full plans to finish this one. We now return to a world where Ren is an oblivious dork who writes poetry. Enjoy!**

Summer. Ren: Age 9. Nora: Age 8.

 _Painted memories_

 _Colors jump from rotting wood_

 _Forever shining_

"Ren, Ren, Ren, look at this!" Nora gestured dramatically toward the side of her garage.

Ren stared blankly. "It's a giant piece of plywood."

"Exactly!" Nora squealed, bouncing up and down. "It's huge, and my dad's just getting rid of it! It'll get thrown away, unless…" She trailed off, clearly waiting for Ren to finish the thought.

Ren looked at the plywood, then back at Nora. "We can't move this," he said frankly.

Nora pouted. "Yes, we can."

"It's taller than we are."

"Ren, come ooooon!" Nora whined. "When will we get a more perfect wall for our secret hideout?"

The "secret hideout," which was well-known by Ren and Nora's parents, was a small clearing under a giant oak tree in the woods behind Nora's house.

"Where are we going to put it?" Ren asked.

"We'll lean it against the tree. We can make a dart board and hang up posters."

"We don't have darts, and the posters would get wet." Ren saw Nora's shoulders slump, and breathed a sigh. "But I guess we could paint it."

Nora's eyes widened. "Oooh! That's even better! You're so smart, Ren!" She ran to the side of it. "Come on! Grab the other end."

"If we paint it, shouldn't we do it here, then carry it once it's dry?" Ren asked. "We shouldn't pollute the woods with paint."

"Oh yeah." Nora grinned. "You think of everything, don't you?" With that, she rushed inside to ask her mom if they could go to the store for paint.

It was early evening by the time they were actually able to start painting. Ren drew flowers and the sun while Nora attempted to make a flying pink pony. Eventually, she gave up and just started painting hearts of various colors all over the place. "Ren, let's put a rainbow over here!"

"Okay. Here's the red."

When they were done, they had a mismatched scene of flowers, hearts, rainbows, and a half-completed pony. Both kids were covered from head to toe in paint.

Nora, grinning proudly, turned to Ren and tapped his nose with a pink finger, leaving a small dot behind. "Boop!"

Ren smiled at her, then looked back at the plywood. "You know, I think it _will_ make a pretty good wall," he muttered, to which Nora nodded excitedly.

…

Summer. Ren: Age 15. Nora: Age 14.

 _Fleece and downy warmth_

 _Smell of pizza and static_

 _Hiding from the world_

"That's a fire hazard, Nora," Ren said as Nora tried to use a nearby floor lamp to act as one of the corners of their impromptu blanket fort.

"Only if it's on," Nora protested.

Ren rolled his eyes as he unplugged the lamp. "There's still electricity going through."

"You're such a worry-wart," Nora sighed. She tossed the blanket over the floor lamp while pulling another corner toward the couch and tucking it behind a cushion. "Ooh, put that corner in the armchair."

Ren obeyed, and was rewarded with a very messy, lopsided blanket tent. "Think it'll stand?"

"Of course it will! Time for the pillows!" Nora rushed up to her room to find the pillows.

Ren watched her, a nostalgic smile on his face. They were probably too old to be having slumber parties and making blanket forts. Still, he couldn't deny the sense of calm, childlike happiness that went through him when he looked at their hastily-completed creation.

It had taken a lot of talking to the camp counselors, and a phone call from Ren and Nora's parents before Ren was allowed to spend the night at Nora's house. Still, looking at the stretch of hours during which he would just be able to hang out with Nora in the comfort of her living room, Ren felt that the headache was more than worth it.

The living room was just as Ren remembered it: well-worn, comfortable furniture, a beige carpet bearing a giant purple stain from where Nora had spilled grape juice when she was a toddler, and blue walls holding a few paintings Nora's mother had bought at various antique shows. The only difference was that the old television had been replaced with a newer flatscreen, hooked up perfectly to Nora's gaming systems.

Nora's mother entered at that moment, carrying a giant bowl of popcorn. She was a gorgeous woman with dark brown skin, lighter brown eyes, and ebony hair that was just barely starting to show hints of silver around the edges. She smiled at Ren as she set the bowl down. "There's soda in the fridge, along with some of those canned green teas you used to like."

"Still do," Ren replied, returning her smile without hesitation. "Thanks for having me over, Mrs. Valkyrie."

"Nonsense, Ren. It's good to have you home again," Mrs. Valkyrie insisted. "Nora always gets so excited whenever a letter from you comes in. How are your parents?"

"They're doing well." Ren's father was very successful in the new job location, and his mother had recently started working at the nearby library. They were both a lot calmer now that Ren had some friends in Vale.

At that moment, Nora came running into the room. "I smell popcorn! Thanks, Mom!" She tossed the pillows into the fort.

"Make sure you don't get butter on the pillows," Mrs. Valkyrie warned before noticing for the first time that the blanket was propped on the lamp. "Nora, the lamp-"

"I unplugged it," Ren cut in, patting her shoulder.

Mrs. Valkyrie let out a sigh of relief. "Good."

"Jeez, you're both a bunch of worry-warts," Nora declared.

"There are pizza rolls in the oven," Mrs. Valkyrie continued, eyes sparkling. "And there are plenty of snacks in the cupboard, including more popcorn. Help yourselves." She had always been willing to let Nora eat as much as she wanted, unless that something was coffee or syrup.

Nora waited for her mom to go to bed before bringing out her backpack. "So, I went to the DVD rental place."

"Those still exist?"

"Just this one, I think. Anyway, the person was super lazy and didn't check IDs, so guess what I got?"

Ren groaned. "Nora, you didn't…"

Nora pulled a bunch of DVDs out. "R-rated horror movies!" Her grin was borderline maniacal.

"Nora, we don't have good experiences with adult-rated things." He took one of the cases and frowned. The store was one of the places that sold the DVDs in clear cases that only had barcodes on them. " _Hostel_? What is that even about?"

"I don't know, but the title sounded creepy. I also got some of the PG-13 slasher movies."

Ren looked at the other movies. "Okay, I can deal with slashers," he muttered, then looked at the last case. "Nora, we are not watching _The Ring_."

"But-"

"No!"

Nora huffed. "Oh, fine. Wanna start off with the R-rated one?"

"Sure."

They brought their various snacks and drinks to the fort, sat down, and turned on the television. They made it less than a half hour before Ren picked up the remote and turned off the movie without a word. Nora didn't protest.

Her eyes were wide as she stared at the black screen. "That wasn't scary. That was just gross!" She brought her knees up and hugged them, shivering a little. "Ugh! I could _feel_ that drill!"

Ren nodded, swallowing some bile. "I remember someone at school talking about a movie about people getting tortured. I guess that was it." He took a long drink from his green tea. "If this is what adult stuff is all like, I think we're better off with kids' cartoons."

"No kidding!" Nora snorted. "Seriously, is all adult stuff just sex and violence?"

"Seems so," Ren said. "Want to turn on the slashers? At least the kills there actually look fake…"

The two watched the goofy slasher movies, yelling at the screen whenever the main characters did something stupid, which was often. Nora started tossing pizza rolls into the air and catching them. Ren resisted the urge to warn her to not get pizza sauce everywhere.

At one point, she threw the pizza roll a little too far to the side and had to jump for it. This resulted in her lying across Ren's lap. She blinked, then grinned up at him. "Hi!"

Ren smiled. "Hi." He tapped her nose lightly. "No more throwing food."

"Yes, Dad." Nora rolled her eyes, even as she blushed at the nose tap. She didn't move from Ren's lap right away. "Hey, Ren?"

"Yes, Nora?" Ren asked, shifting so that Nora's head wasn't cutting off circulation in his leg.

"Are you and Blake together-together?"

Ren tilted his head. "Me and Blake?" He noticed that there was a very intent look in Nora's eyes in that moment. "No. If I started dating someone, you'd be the first to know about it." He ruffled her hair. "Best friend code, right?"

Nora smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Do you like her, though?"

"As a friend, yes," Ren said. "Actually, I think she might have a crush on Yang." He winked. "But you didn't hear that from me."

This new knowledge, combined with the fact that Ren was actually _gossiping_ , caused a spark to enter Nora's eyes. "Gotcha!" She winked back, then sat up. "Say, Ren? Could you help me write a haiku?"

Ren blinked. Nora was just full of sudden questions tonight. "Sure. I didn't know you were interested in writing haikus though."

Nora shrugged. "I'm not really. Not the way you are. I still wanna give it a try. It might be fun to see what it's like writing something like that instead of reading it."

"Well, okay. I have my notebook and some colored pencils in my bag. Let's see what we can do."

The two relocated from the living room to the dining room after washing the pizza and popcorn grease from their fingers. Ren took some notebook pages and placed them in front of Nora. "Now, each line in a haiku is usually independent, but connected. The rule is five syllables for the first line, seven for the second, and then five again for the third. Counting on your fingers helps when you first start out."

Nora nodded, staring at the page. "Hm. What should I write about?"

"That's up to you," Ren replied. "Traditionally, haikus are written about natural settings, but you can honestly write about whatever you want."

"Even pancakes?" Nora asked.

Ren laughed. "Hey, I wrote a haiku about desserts once. Remember?"

"How could I forget? Those drawings made me hungry! I had to go to Books n' Brews like immediately!" Nora giggled. "Really, it's not fair that you're good at both poetry and drawing!"

"Well, you're more physically fit than I'll ever be," Ren pointed out. Nora was on the track team with Pyrrha, as well as Oniyuri's gymnastics team. "So, I guess we ended up with a mix of talents between us."

"Are you complimenting my figure, Ren?" Nora asked cheekily. "I thought you'd be more subtle than that."

Ren gaped, then burst out laughing. Nora had mock-flirted with him in the past, but it never failed to catch him off guard.

Nora's heart leaped at the rare sound of a full laugh from Ren. He sometimes chuckled or snickered, but a loud laugh like this was something hardly ever heard, especially now that he lived in Vale. "Gotcha!" she chirped, hoping her smirk would distract from the growing blush on her face.

Ren shook his head fondly, still snickering a little. "You got me," he said. "Now, back to that haiku…"

After a lot of revision, Nora counting on her fingers, and a ton of coaching from Ren, they finally had a finished product.

 _Fluffy batter rounds_

 _Dripping with sugared tree sap_

 _Devour everything_

Nora frowned as she looked at it. "It's not as good as yours."

"I like it," Ren said. "It's a good first haiku, that's for sure." He pushed the box of colored pencils toward her. "Go on. Draw some art."

"Okay…" Nora hesitantly took a tan pencil and started to draw. When she had a rough sketch of a stack of pancakes, she sighed. "It looks like a kid's drawing." She started to crumple the paper up, only for Ren to snatch it away.

"Nope! This is mine now," he said, smirking calmly.

Nora squeaked. "Ren, no! It's terrible! Don't keep it!"

"You've kept all of mine," Ren replied. "I'm just returning the favor."

"Ugh, Ren get rid of it!" She made a grab for the paper, only for Ren to jump out of the way. It was only then that she saw the playful glint in his magenta eyes. An evil grin spread across her face. "That's it. TICKLE ATTACK!"

Ren immediately bolted to the living room, grabbing a pillow to defend himself with. Nora easily pinned him to the couch and started mercilessly tickling his stomach, causing him to yelp and swat at her hands. "Say uncle!" she shouted.

"You two keep it down!" Mrs. Valkyrie's voice called down the stairs, causing both teens to freeze guiltily.

"Sorry, Mom!" Nora called back. She turned back to Ren, only to suddenly realize the position they were in. Ren realized it as well, his face was rapidly turning red. Nora quickly jumped off.

Ren rolled onto his side, watching Nora curiously, trying to ignore the weird fluttering in his chest. Her weight on top of him had felt…oddly welcome. Had he felt like this in the past when she would pin him to the couch? He didn't think so. He tried not to delve too deeply into it. He didn't need to make things weird.

Still, he couldn't help but ask: "Nora, why did you want to know if Blake and I were together?"

Nora glanced to the side. "Well…" She rubbed at the back of her neck, deciding to tell a half-truth. "I guess I'm worried, you know? Jaune and Pyrrha are getting really close, and I feel like a third wheel when I'm with them sometimes. I don't want to ever be a third wheel when hanging out with you."

Ren got off of the couch and knelt down to hug her. "Nora, that won't ever happen," he promised. "If I end up with someone, I'll still make time for you."

"Not as much, though," Nora sighed. "Girlfriends come first."

"Why?" Ren asked. "Why can't they be equal?"

Nora shook her head. "That isn't how it works. I've seen it at school."

Ren shrugged. "Then, I just won't get a girlfriend."

Nora stared at him, her mouth dropping open. "You…You'd do that for me?"

Ren nodded. "You're more important to me than anything, Nora. I don't want anything to overshadow that."

Nora felt a stinging behind her eyes and hurriedly wiped them. "O-Okay. In that case, I won't ever get a boyfriend!" She held up her pinky. "Pinky swear?"

Ren didn't hesitate to loop his pinky with hers. "Pinky swear!" He smiled at her. "Feel better?"

Nora nodded. "Yep!" She hugged Ren tightly. "We'll be best friends forever, right Ren?"

Ren gladly returned the hug, resting his cheek in her familiar ginger hair. "Absolutely, and nothing will ever get in the way of that." He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. "I promise."

 **There's a nice injection of fluff after leaving ya'll deprived. As before, this will be updated every other Thursday on here, and every Wednesday on P/atreon. Stay tuned to find out what will happen next to our lovely sloths. Quick note: You'll notice a slight change in the chapters, as the earlier ones have a bit of perspective from Nora and some of the others while the later ones are almost entirely from Ren's point of view. I realized during the hiatus, and while typing the backlog, that this is meant to be Ren's story more than anything.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support in exchange for rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun. (If you're on the fence about pledging, I should tell you that patrons are currently on chapter 8 of this fic.)**

 **For writing tips, prompts, top 10 lists, and fandom rants from yours truly, check out my blog at soloragoldsun dot wordpress dot com.**

 **Peace out!**


	7. Third Summer: Returning Loneliness

**Hello, everyone! We are back with our favorite oblivious dorks! I was just thinking. You know that song "Could it Be" from** _ **Kim Possible**_ **? Is that not THE song for Ren and Nora? Like, seriously. It's too freaking perfect! Why have I not found any AMVs for this? Why?!**

 **Anyhoo, enjoy.**

Fall. Ren: Age 15. Nora: Age 14 and a half.

 _Time passing quickly_

 _Wondering what is changing_

 _Fumbling sentences_

 _Hey, Ren!_

 _By the time you get this, you'll already know (mainly because I'm about to call you and blow out your eardrums). Ready for this? You ready? Totally ready?_

 _JAUNE AND PYRRHA ARE TOGETHER!_

 _Seriously, it's finally a thing! She asked him to Homecoming and the three of us went and they were really nice about not making me feel like a third wheel! Then, after the dance, I was walking to the car, and I looked over and THEY WERE KISSING! OH! MY! GOSH! I totally didn't scream right then and there, or anything like that._

 _What, you don't believe me? LOL! (Sorry. I know you hate when I use text speak. I just like imagining your grumpy face whenever I do it.)_

Nora paused, calling Ren's familiar exasperated expression to mind, and giggled before starting to write again.

 _I wish you could've been there. Jaune danced with me a few times, but not a lot since, you know, he was there with Pyrrha. It would've been fun if we could've danced together._

She paused, then quickly erased that paragraph.

 _I'll text you a picture of my dress. I looked really_

She stopped in the middle of the sentence and erased that line as well.

 _Since you're so good at the DDR machines, I'm pretty sure you could've schooled any of those grinding morons on the dance floor. Seriously, Homecoming is supposed to be a dance, not a "shake randomly while miming sex in a freaking public place!"_

She looked at the paragraph and nodded. There were a ton of eraser marks on the paper by this point. She'd probably have to copy the letter to a clean sheet. Was it pathetic to be writing multiple drafts of a letter to her best friend? She decided that she didn't want to know the answer to that question.

 _Anyway, you'd better tell me how your Homecoming went. Tell me if Blake and Yang get together! They sound totally cute._

 _Your bestie,_

 _Nora_

 _PS- I miss you!_

 _PPS- I love you._

Erase.

 _PPS- Boop!_

…..

Spring. Ren: Age 16. Nora: Age 15.

 _Loneliness returns_

 _Confusion for the future_

 _Clinging to your voice_

"See yah, Ren!" Yang called, waving over her shoulder as she and Blake continued on their way to the movie theater. "Hope you can come with us next time!"

Ren smiled and waved back before turning onto the path leading to his apartment building. Once he was out of sight, he allowed his shoulders to slump. Truthfully, he could have easily gone to the movies with Blake and Yang. His homework was mostly done, and his mom wouldn't have had a problem with it. Why did he decline and say that he had a project to finish?

 _Because it would have been awkward, that's why,_ he thought.

Ever since Yang and Blake started dating, there was a change in the overall group dynamic. While Ren was still included in regular interactions, he couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't needed.

Of course, his friends never ignored him. They were very good about including him in conversations and activities. Still, when he looked at their joined hands and the secret smiles meant only for each other, he couldn't help but feel a little lonely.

Oftentimes, he found himself hanging out more with Ruby, who seemed to understand his sense of isolation. Still, she had her own friends in her own grade, as well as her commitment to the track team, so Ren couldn't always lean on her.

In the end, as one would expect, he ended up turning to Nora. He never quite let on to his loneliness, not wanting her to worry. Instead, he would just call or email (their parents had finally allowed them to set up their own accounts) and take comfort in her familiar voice talking about what was going on in their familiar hometown. He would email her haikus that weren't quite good enough to make into paintings. She would send him videos of cussing parrots. For a while, it would feel like he wasn't a third wheel to anyone, that he was first in someone's life.

Strangely enough, he never found himself regretting his promise to Nora that he wouldn't get a girlfriend. In his current situation, dating would make sense, wouldn't it? Still, even though he felt a touch of envy whenever he saw Yang and Blake or heard about Jaune's latest date with Pyrrha, he felt no desire to seek out anyone else. All he felt was that need to call or email Nora.

Honestly, he was glad that they had made that mutual promise during the summer. When Nora had brought up her worries about losing him to a girlfriend, it caused him to slowly realize that he really didn't want to see Nora with anyone in that way either.

There was a part of him that wondered how long they would realistically keep that promise. What would happen if one of them fell in love?

He thought about some of his favorite books. In _Lord of the Rings_ , there was no doubt that Frodo's most important relationship had been with Sam, and visa versa, to the point where Sam getting married didn't even put a damper on it. Would Ren and Nora be like Frodo and Sam, or would they actually remain single for the rest of their lives?

Ren was at the apartment at this point, and quickly pasted on a smile. He knew that his mother would ask him what was wrong if she saw his frown, and really didn't feel like having an in-depth conversation with her about it right then.

…

Summer. Ren: Age 16. Nora: Age 15.

 _Gazes last too long_

 _Blood warms like tea in my veins_

 _Flowing to my heart_

"I swear, if one more person had asked me 'Why did they have to be lesbians?' I would have thrown something," Blake sighed as she took a sip of her Earl Grey tea. She put in a dash of milk and no sugar.

Ren, sitting across from her and drinking his usual green tea, nodded. "It was ridiculous. They didn't even talk about the actual story. Did you read any of my feedback yet?" He glanced toward the door to the coffee shop before looking back at his friends.

Blake nodded. "Yes, and it was pretty helpful. Having the spirit react more to what's happening on the outside would certainly add to it."

Jaune was sitting next to Blake and staring mournfully into his latte. "They basically told me to rewrite my whole poem…"

"Did you get to my feedback yet?" Blake asked. When Jaune shook his head, she patted his shoulder. "Well, I have some good tips for you."

"I don't know," Jaune murmured. "I don't think I'll be coming back to the camp next summer."

This caused Ren to look away from the door with surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, I'm just in the next town over. I can come over whenever Mom can drive me. And I hope to get my license soon, so by next summer, I can come up a lot." Jaune let out a sigh. "Maybe once the workshops have been going on for a few years, they'll get better, but right now it feels like I'm not getting anything but hate. I'd might as well just email my stuff to you guys and no one else."

"I see what you mean," Blake said. "I've been thinking along similar lines. There are more professional programs elsewhere. This one is really an amateur's venture. I don't even know if it'll last."

Ren frowned, staring into the green-brown depths of his drink.

"What about you, Ren?" Jaune asked.

Ren shrugged. "I'm going to stick with it. See if it gets any better."

"I figured," Blake said. "It isn't about the workshops for you, after all."

Ren looked sharply at her, glimpsing a catlike smirk as she raised her cup to her lips. "Why are you giving me that look?"

"What look?"

"You know what look."

At that moment, of course, the door the coffeehouse opened and a certain hyperactive ginger rushed in. "Ren!"

Ren stood up and rounded the table, just in time to be tackled by his best friend. He gritted his teeth as the familiar sensation of having his abdomen squeezed to death took over.

"Omigosh, Ren! I'm so sorry I wasn't at the bus stop yesterday! I told Mom and Dad when you'd be here, but they had to arrange the trip a certain way, so- Huh?" She stopped when she realized that Ren was repeatedly tapping her head. "Oh, sorry!" She loosened her grip, and Ren let out a loud breath. "Anyway, hi!"

"Hello, Nora," Ren replied, hugging Nora back now that he was able to breathe. He was aware of a faint sensation, as if a tenseness in all of his muscles that he hadn't even noticed was disappearing. He had _really_ missed Nora this year.

"Hey, Nora!" Jaune called over. "Is Pyrrha with you?"

"No, I stopped by her house, but her mom is making her study." Nora stepped back, looking at all of them with dramatically widened eyes. "Her parents are making her take _summer classes!_ " She hissed the last two words as if they were a horrible curse, glancing around nervously as she said them.

Ren frowned. "That's odd. I thought her grades were very good."

"They are," Jaune clarified. "But her mom wants her even further ahead. These are college-level classes." He took his phone out of his pocket. "Ah, she texted me." He started quickly typing out a response.

"Ugh, I'd die if I had to deal with that," Nora groaned. "I mean, it's fine to be smart, but you gotta live a life outside of school, right? Heck, I won't even be looking at colleges till the second semester of this year." She leaned over the table. "Also, hi Blake! Congrats on Yang!" She winked.

Blake smiled at Nora, though she gave Ren a dry look. "Yes, I heard that my romantic life has been the subject of some scrutiny. Thank you, Ren."

Ren had the grace to look sheepish. "Nora was interested, and I figured she was too far away for her gossip to do any harm."

"I don't gossip!" Nora gasped. When the others were silent, she put her hands on her hips. "I don't! I inform people about what's happening around me. There's a difference." Once she and Ren were sitting down, she asked: "So, how's the workshop?" She giggled when a collective groan answered her. "That good, huh?" She looked at Blake. "I've seen Jaune's stuff already, but I never really got to see yours. What are you writing?"

"Right now, I'm writing about a woman who becomes a vessel for a spirit," Blake explained. "They share a body, and fall in love over the course of it."

"Oooh!" Nora's eyes widened. "Is it anything like the story of the man with two souls Ren was talking about?"

"Not quite. That was a horror/social commentary piece. This is more romantic."

"Cool! I'm not a workshop person, but I'd love to read it."

Blake chuckled. "The fact that you're not a workshop person makes me more inclined to let you read it. I'll see about giving you a copy of the next draft."

"Yay!" Nora paused, realizing that she hadn't ordered a drink. "Hold on. I need cocoa." She zipped over to the counter.

Ren watched her, a fond smile on his face. It was incredible how naturally Nora interacted with people. She hadn't really talked to Blake during the previous summer, but she was talking to her now like they were old friends. Ren's letters had probably helped with that. Also, Ren already felt as if he had been home for weeks. It was just so easy to fall back into his role as Nora's present best friend.

A cough caused him to turn, and he saw Blake smirking at him again. "Seriously, what's with that face?" he hissed.

"Oh, nothing," Blake replied. "Nothing's wrong with my face. Though, the face _you_ were making could probably inspire fifty romance stories."

"Huh?!" Ren's cheeks turned bright red.

Jaune snickered quietly. "She's not wrong."

Ren let out a huff. "You guys are imagining things. Nora and I are platonic best friends. Always have been."

"You didn't say 'Always will be,'" Blake noted.

"I don't need to!"

Nora walked back over, blowing on a large cocoa. "So, what else is new?"

The four talked for an hour before Jaune and Blake excused themselves to go back to the park. Ren and Nora finished their drinks, then headed down to the candy store. The sun was high by the time they reached the playground, where they sat on a worn bench, sharing their gummies and maple nut candies.

"Any new haikus to show me?" Nora asked, reaching into Ren's bag and taking a pink gummy.

"I wrote one during finals week." Ren took his folder from his backpack and withdrew a single piece of paper, handing it to Nora.

 _Buffeted by wind_

 _The lonely pine leans over_

 _Roots sinking deeper_

The paper had a drawing of a battered pine leaning diagonally. Nora snorted. "Good representation of those stupid exams. Seriously, when will we have to fill in little bubbles when we're actual adults?"

"Who knows?" Ren smiled, familiar with Nora's rants about how useless most of their classes would probably end up being. "So, you said you'd start looking at colleges this upcoming year. Got any idea on what you want to major in?"

Nora folded her arms, making a thoughtful clicking noise with her tongue. "Not sure yet," she finally muttered. "I know I like exercising and being at the gym. Maybe I could be a personal trainer or gym teacher."

Ren imagined his small but strong best friend overlooking a room of people trying to learn to be fit and smiled. "I think you'd do a good job."

"What about you?" Nora asked. "Creative Writing, maybe?"

Ren shook his head. "No. The haikus are just a hobby. I'm actually more interested in visual art." He looked at the watercolor painting of the pine tree. "I'd like to go into animation. Maybe get a job with a cartoon studio."

Nora perked up. "That sounds cool. What kinds of cartoons? Adult? Kids? Anime?"

"Not sure. Whatever I can get, really." Ren shrugged. "I haven't really settled on a concrete plan yet."

"Well, we got time," Nora declared. "You think we'll go to the same college?"

"That would be nice," Ren admitted. "Though, it would depend on what colleges are best in what majors, and what we get accepted into."

"Yeah. I just…" Nora stared at her feet. "I don't want to see even less of you than I do now."

Ren touched her hand. It felt warm, small, strong, and familiar. Yet, at the same time, as he took it, he felt a fluttering in his chest, as if the feel of her hand was an entirely new sensation. "Neither do I."

Nora looked up at him for a moment, then slowly scooted over until she was leaning into him, head resting on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, squeezing his hand. "Well, at least we have a whole month to look forward to," she said. "And Pyrrha has a car now! When she's not doing those stupid summer classes, we could all go out somewhere. Maybe to the beach."

It had been years since Ren had gone to the beach. The idea of going with his friends now was actually very appealing. "Why don't we plan on that? It'd have to be a Sunday, since those are the days we have no workshops."

Nora smiled. "I'll talk to Pyrrha. This'll be the best summer yet. I can feel it!"

Ren allowed his head to rest on top of Nora's. Beach or not, he agreed with her. Then again, every summer spent in Oniyuri seemed destined to be better than the last.

 **If you can't already tell, I'm writing this with the goal of having you guys pulling out your hair and wanting to shake Ren by the shoulders by the time he actually does figure things out. I feel that, in canon, the reason he and Nora aren't together-together is a combination of him wanting to preserve their friendship and him being an oblivious dork. It took a freaking Nuckelavee battle to get him to realize some things! Hopefully, Volume 5 will delve deeper into this without killing one of them. *will always have trust issues thanks to Volume 3***

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support in exchange for rewards, including weekly updates of this, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **For writing tips, prompts, top 10 lists, and fandom rants from yours truly, check out my blog at soloragoldsun dot wordpress dot com.**

 **Peace out!**


	8. Third Summer: The Dream

**Greetings, my lovelies! My computer has not yet died, so that's good. This chapter has more of the guys hanging out and Ren being totally oblivious to his feelings. You know, the usual.**

 **Enjoy!**

Winter. Ren: Age 15 and a half. Nora: Age 15.

 _Lines scratching parchment_

 _Poor substitute for your smile_

 _Don't let the ink fade_

 _Dear Nora,_

 _Well, as you predicted, Blake and Yang did end up getting together. It wasn't during Homecoming, however, but around Valentine's Day, clichéd as it is. It's funny: They both hate Valentine's Day, and decided to hang out at the movies and see some action flick as a way of rebelling against the "candy company corruption." (Good alliteration, huh?) Anyway, they ended up kissing in the theater. I tried pointing out the irony, which prompted Yang to punch me in the arm._

Ren paused to roll his shoulder, grimacing. Yang really needed to realize her own strength.

 _Personally, I don't put much stock in Valentine's Day. A couple should show that they care throughout the year. Having a holiday for it seems like a little too much pressure. Still, I couldn't go out anywhere that day because every place was crowded with people on dates._

 _Too bad I wasn't back in Oniyuri. We could have watched scary movies or something._

He paused, then elected to cross out that line. It sounded too much like he was hinting at something, especially when looking at his story about Yang and Blake.

 _On the plus side, Easter candy is now on sale. I've been stocking up on jelly beans. Go easy on the Cadbury Eggs. Remember how sick you got that one time._

He was referring to a time when they were ten and Nora had eaten a dozen Cadbury Eggs on a dare. She had thrown up soon after. Miraculously enough, she had gone back to eating the sweets the next day, though in moderation.

 _Midterms are coming up, but we'll make it through. We always do. Say hello to your parents for me._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Ren_

 _PS- I miss you._

He started to cross that out, but ultimately decided to leave it. It was true, after all.

…

 _Manifest my heart_

 _My longing burns like cold fire_

 _Quenched only by warmth_

It was dark. Strange sounds came from all directions: rustling leaves, crackling footsteps, whispers that were just too quiet to catch any actual words. Ren should have been terrified. Instead, he was smiling. He was safe. As long as he held onto the warm figure in his arms, that would remain true.

Everything was pitch black, so he couldn't see the source of the warmth. Somehow, however, he knew that it would keep him safe and that he could trust it completely. It shifted and snuggled against him. He could feel an ongoing pulse, like a thumping heart, like an electric beat. He loved it.

As the darkness pressed in, he tightened his hold on the warmth, causing it to squirm a little. He reluctantly loosened his grip again, frowning. He didn't want it to go, but he didn't want to hurt it.

Following some new instinct, he leaned down and kissed it. He felt softness on his lips. His heart burned in the most pleasant way possible. He heard a happy sigh and felt puffs of air against his face. Encouraged, he kissed the warmth again, this time feeling the answering sensation of lips against his.

….

Summer. Ren: Age 16. Nora: Age 15.

 _Forgotten thoughts call_

 _Weary eyes see so much more_

 _My silent musing_

Ren awoke to a distinct emptiness in his arms. He opened his eyes slowly, wondering where the warmth had gone. Then, he realized that, rather than the pitch darkness of where he had just been, he was in the semi-darkness of his cabin at the workshop camp.

 _A dream…_ He tried to remember if he had had that dream before. It felt so familiar. At least, the warm figure he had been holding felt familiar, as if hugging and kissing it was the most natural thing in the world. He hugged his blankets, but they were a poor substitute. Realizing that he wasn't likely to fall asleep again, he resigned himself to staring at the ceiling until it was time to wake up.

By the time Jaune was awake and the two were walking to their morning workshop, the dream had faded into the back of Ren's mind, as dreams often do. Mentally, he kicked himself for not keeping his notebook by his bed. He had always heard that keeping a notebook nearby was one of the best ways to get one's thoughts down before wakefulness came along and ruined them.

"You okay?" Jaune asked. "You seem distracted?"

"Huh?" Ren blinked. "Oh, I was just thinking about our beach trip." A few days ago, they had decided on the second to last Sunday of the month. Pyrrha wouldn't be studying or going to any events, and the others didn't have any commitments other than the workshops, which weren't on Sundays. Nora didn't even have that.

"It'll be fun," Jaune said. "It's funny. The beach is only an hour away, but I've never been."

"Nora and I went a lot when we were little. It was always a special summer day trip," Ren replied, smiling as he thought back. The beach in question was actually by a lake north of Oniyuri. The current wasn't strong, so there were smooth stones rather than sand. There were also water snakes, which Ren liked but Nora detested.

"You think we can get Blake to go?" Jaune asked. "She seems a bit more aloof."

"I'll ask her. It really depends on how social she's feeling," Ren replied. Honestly, besides him, Yang, and Ruby, Blake didn't really talk to anyone at school. She seemed to like Pyrrha, Jaune, and Nora, if only because they were Ren's friends.

They stepped into the classroom, which held a large, circular table. Of course, Blake was already there. They took their usual positions with Ren on her left, and Jaune sitting on Ren's other side. The other students and the teacher trickled in over the next few minutes.

They had never had the same teacher for more than one year, Ren noticed. He thought back to what Blake had been saying about how this workshop camp probably wouldn't last. _I hope it at least lasts through high school. How else will I be able to come up here for a month?_

These thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind when the workshop started, and people took out their copies of everyone's pieces. Then, it was all about trying not to snap and kill someone.

"Maybe you'd be able to get the images across if you made some of the lines longer."

 _Haikus have a set number of lines and syllables. If I wanted to make longer poems, I'd do that. Maybe suggest some alternative words instead._

"I think you should make the romance more prominent at the very beginning. I mean, otherwise it feels like queerbaiting subtext."

 _Yes, because shoving the romance in people's faces will make it totally realistic._

"Comparing eyes to dew-touched emeralds seems a bit odd. Why not dew-touched leaves, or something that makes sense?"

 _Weren't you just speaking against clichéd phrases yesterday?_

Eventually, the class ended and the people left. Jaune was staring mournfully at his poem, as he usually did after a session. Ren patted his shoulder, giving him a wordless, encouraging smile.

As they approached the dorms, they saw Nora and Pyrrha waiting for them.

"Hey!" Nora chirped. "Rough workshop?" she asked when she saw their faces.

Blake rolled her eyes. "Good thing I'm not allergic to stupid people, or I'd be dead by now."

"Don't pay any attention to them." Nora waved a dismissive hand. "I read your story last night, and thought it was awesome!"

"Thank you," Blake replied, a small smile coming to her face.

"Anyway, Pyrrha's done with her _summer classes_ for today," Nora continued, hissing "summer classes" in the most scandalized whisper possible. "Why don't we all go somewhere?"

For a few minutes, they tried to think of where to go. They'd been to Books n' Brews the previous day, there weren't any good movies playing, and no one was really in the mood for the arcade. Finally, Jaune spoke up. "Maybe we could drive up to my house. I have a lot of board games."

Pyrrha smiled. "That sounds grand. If we hurry, we can be gone before Mother thinks of another extra assignment for me to do."

As they walked toward the parking lot, Ren realized for the first time that they hadn't played video games at Pyrrha's house at all that summer. He remembered the tense interactions between her and her mother the previous year. _I hope she's doing okay,_ he thought. _At least she has Nora and Jaune around during the school year._

Pyrrha's car was a pale blue beauty. Apparently, she had wanted red, but chose blue in order to avoid one of her mother's rants about how red cars get pulled over the most often. Jaune sat up front, since he was the biggest, while Nora, Ren, and Blake squeezed into the back with Nora in the middle.

"Urgh. I don't think this car was meant for five people, Pyrrha."

"Yes, it was. There's a seatbelt in the middle part. See?"

"Ren's sitting on it."

"I'll move over here."

"Is this-?"

"Ow! You pinched my leg!"

"Sorry!"

It took five more minutes for everyone to get buckled. Jaune was grinning over his shoulder at them. "Comfortable, you guys?"

"I'd punch you in the face if I could feel my arms," Nora grumbled.

Pyrrha chuckled. "Don't worry. It's only a half-hour drive. Let me put on some music."

The car ride wasn't terrible, all things considered. Blake edged as close to the window as possible, giving Nora a little more room. Nora ended up leaning into Ren's side. Between how warm she was and the steady movement of the car, Ren felt himself drifting off, never quite falling asleep, but dozing enough to make a surprised noise when Nora elbowed him awake. 

"We're here, lazy," she said, though the slur in her voice hinted that she had napped as well.

Ren opened the door to see a house that was even larger than Pyrrha's, with a gorgeous garden out front. Two young girls, one a toddler, one looking to be six or seven, were running around, though they stopped when they saw the car.

"Jaune's home!" the older of the girls shouted, running over. "Hi, Pyrrha!"

"Hello, Jenny," Pyrrha greeted, her eyes shining warmly as the girls hugged her legs. "Hello, Silvia."

The toddler smiled silently up at her, blue eyes wide.

Jaune walked around the car. "Ren, Nora, Blake, this is Jenny and Silvia. Girls, these are my friends."

Jenny moved away from Pyrrha just enough to smile at the others. "Hi! I'm Jenny. I'm the second youngest."

"Hello," Ren replied. He had been stunned the first time Jaune had told him that he had seven sisters. The three oldest were in college, one was a year ahead of Jaune in high school, and the younger three were in middle school, elementary school, and pre-school.

After politely listening to Jenny informing them of her favorite color, animal, and cartoon, and why they were her favorites, they followed Jaune inside.

"Sorry about that," Jaune muttered. "She doesn't know how to stop talking."

"I'm used to it," Ren said, nudging Nora, who folded her arms and stuck out her tongue.

"You're such a jerk!"

Jaune called down one of the halls. "Mom, I have some friends over."

A voice called back. "Okay, sweetie. I baked some cookies, and the chips are in the usual spot. Help yourselves!"

They went into a large, spacious living room, where a girl of around twelve years was curled up in an armchair with a book. She looked up as they walked in.

"Hey, Katie," Jaune said. "We're gonna play some board games, okay?"

Katie closed her book. "You should play _Betrayal_. You got the right number of people."

" _Betrayal at House on the Hill_ ," Jaune quickly explained to Ren and Blake. "It's a game where you're in a haunted house, and the haunt varies depending on what cards are drawn beforehand."

Blake tilted her head. "That sounds interesting."

Jaune looked back at Katie. "It's up to six players. Wanna join us?"

Katie hesitated, looking at her book, but ultimately came to the conclusion that playing a board game with her big brother's friends was way cooler, and placed it to the side. She sat down next to Blake, who asked what she was reading, prompting the middle schooler to perk up a little more.

They played for an hour, and the haunt ended up being a zombie attack. This, of course, encouraged Jaune to do his best zombie impression when he ended up being the traitor. Katie giggled while Pyrrha rolled her eyes fondly.

Near the end of the game, Jaune's mother came in bearing a plate of chocolate chip cookies, which everyone helped themselves to. "How are your summer classes going, Pyrrha?" she asked.

Pyrrha managed a smile. "They're going well."

"No, they aren't. They're boring and annoying." Mrs. Arc lightly swatted her shoulder, eyes glittering gently. "Don't try lying to me. I have eight kids."

Pyrrha laughed. "Well, okay. They're pretty terrible."

"Don't worry," Mrs. Arc assured her. "Once you're in college, you'll have plenty of freedom. Just hang on until then." She said hello to the others before returning to the kitchen.

Ren took a bite of his cookie. It was still warm and very chewy. He looked at Nora, who had scarfed hers already. "Don't eat too fast."

"Okay, _Dad_ ," Nora said, making a face.

Blake made a noise that sounded like a suppressed snort. Ren shot her a suspicious look, but didn't say anything until they went back outside. "What were you laughing about?" he muttered.

"Oh, nothing," Blake said, her eyes shining. "Just thinking about a book I read the other day. Nora calling you Daddy made me think of it."

From basically anyone else, this would have been an innocent comment. Ren, having been friends with Blake for years now, knew better. His face turned bright red. "First of all, she said 'Dad' in a sarcastic way. Second, how do you keep getting these books?!" he sputtered.

Blake shrugged. "I buy them online. Amazon doesn't care if you add a few years to your birthday."

Ren just shook his head and groaned.

Both Ren and Nora fell asleep on the car ride home, and Ren felt himself starting to have the dream about the warmth again. Strangely enough, when he woke up a few minutes before their arrival at the park, he didn't feel the sense of loss he had felt that morning.

 **So, I'm convinced that a modern-day Blake who got to grow up with a relatively normal life without all the White Fang bullshit would be a total perv while in high school. You can't tell me she doesn't pick up some things from her lovely ninja books. She'd mellow out by the age of seventeen or eighteen, but we all remember snickering and making "That's what she said" jokes throughout high school.**

 **Because I totally don't make those jokes anymore. Nope. I'm the definition of mature. I mean it!**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support in exchange for rewards, including weekly updates of this, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	9. Third Summer: Truth or Dare

**I have a nice long one for you guys today! Are you ready for some juicy Team Slothy goodness? Good!**

 **On the subject of the OTP, I just gotta ask something concerning** _ **RWBY Chibi**_ **: Rooster Teeth, why did you take the purest of** _ **RWBY**_ **ships and combine it with the most terrifying of Stephen King's stories?! Did anyone ask for a** _ **Misery**_ **-esque, yandere Nora? No! No one did! So, stop it! And please, for the love of decency, do NOT listen to the fans who are asking for yandere Pyrrha. Just…don't. Please.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

Summer. Ren: Age 16. Nora: Age 15.

 _Warm hands, frosty depths_

 _Nostalgia coats present joys_

 _Drawing closer still_

Ren double-checked his bag, making sure he had all the essentials: swim trunks, sunscreen, towel, deflated beach ball, spare notebook, pen… Nodding with satisfaction, he zipped the bag up and followed Jaune out of their cabin.

"Think you've checked that enough?" Jaune called over.

"I just want to make sure I have everything," Ren said. "The last thing I need is to get a sunburn because I left the sunscreen here."

"I'm pretty sure Pyrrha's mom's going to pack spares of everything, so you don't have to worry."

Sure enough, when Pyrrha pulled her car into the parking lot, it was easy to see the sheer amount of items that had been packed into her trunk and part of the back seat. Pyrrha grimaced as she exited the car. "I suppose it's a good thing Blake didn't wish to join us. There wouldn't have been room for her!"

"What all is in there?" Jaune wondered.

Nora stuck her head out the window. "What _isn't_ in there? We have a cooler of stuff, a whole thing of bottled water, a freaking gallon of sunblock, fifty towels…"

"There aren't fifty, Nora."

"It looks like it!"

"Also, shotgun!" Jaune said.

Nora stuck out her tongue. "You're lucky I wanted to sit with Ren anyway." She got out of the car and ran over to Ren. "Hi, Ren! Ready to see the beach again?"

Ren smiled. "I am. Are you prepared for the snakes this time around?"

Nora shuddered. "If I see a snake, you're carrying me out of the water."

Once they got their bags into the car, Ren and Nora got in the back, Nora sitting in the middle seat so she could be next to Ren. "Just to warn you: Pyrrha has her roadtrip music, since it's an hour-long drive."

"Should I worry?" Ren wondered.

"Weeeellll, that depends…" Nora muttered.

Pyrrha, with a slightly embarrassed smile, put a CD into the drive. "If you wish to change to something else, I have other CDs."

Immediately, a familiar piano tune came from the speakers, closely followed by an even more familiar voice. _"Living in my own world, didn't understand/That anything can happen when you take a chance."_

Jaune started singing along immediately while Ren laughed at the sudden, unexpected punch of nostalgia. "I actually have no objections."

When they pulled into the parking lot at the beach, all four were loudly belting: _"I'm not gonna stop, that's who I am/I'll give it all I got, that is my plan/Will I find what I lost? You know I can/Bet on it, bet on it, bet on it, bet on me!"_

Pyrrha kept the car running until the song was finished, then turned the key with a slight chuckle. "I don't think any of us should quit our day jobs."

"Speak for yourself. I was amazing! Right, Ren?" Nora elbowed Ren's side.

"No comment." Ren rubbed his ears, causing Nora to pout.

"You're mean!"

"I do my best."

The next few minutes consisted of gathering their stuff, figuring how many of the items Mrs. Nikos packed were actually needed, and walking toward the beach. The path was bordered with pine trees, and the sound of birdsong and scampering squirrels surrounded them. Ren smiled as they reached the end. It was just as he remembered: a beach of smooth, dark stones rimming a reflective lake. Since it wasn't a sandy beach, and since the water was usually cold, there were rarely many people around. Near the path, there were old changing stalls with doors that had to be held closed by someone on the outside. There was a high chair that hadn't seen a lifeguard in years. Thankfully, Pyrrha was certified to administer first aid, and was a very experienced swimmer courtesy, once again, of her mother.

"So, do we eat or swim first?" Jaune asked.

"Well, if we eat first, we'll need to wait an hour before swimming," Ren pointed out.

Nora rolled her eyes. "No one actually follows that rule."

"Still, if we swim first, we'll be hungrier for lunch," Pyrrha pointed out. "And Mom did pack a lot."

"Awesome! Let's go." Nora started to take off her shirt.

"Nora!" Ren averted his eyes, his face turning bright red.

"What?" Nora blinked, then burst out laughing when she saw Ren's expression. "I'm wearing my suit under my clothes, silly!" she gasped, holding her sides. "Omigosh, your face!"

"Very funny," Ren muttered, noticing that Jaune and Pyrrha were snickering a bit as well. "Since you're already dressed, could you hold the dressing room door for me?"

"Sure," Nora said, still giggling quietly.

Once the four were in their swimsuits and had applied their sunscreen, they went to the edge of the water. Nora dipped her toe in and shivered. "Oooh, I forgot how cold it is. How do the snakes even survive?"

"Maybe they're sleeping today," Jaune suggested.

"They'll come up when the sun gets higher," Ren said.

Nora shuddered. "Don't remind me!"

Ren and Jaune moved slowly into the deeper water while Nora and Pyrrha elected to just take the plunge all at once. They ran right into the deep area and ducked under. When they came up, they were shivering.

"W-W-Wow, it d-doesn't f-f-feel like s-s-s-summer now," Nora chattered.

Pyrrha nodded in agreement. "G-Good thing we h-have lots of t-t-towels."

Jaune walked over, shivering as the water got up to his waist. "How's this?" He pulled Pyrrha close, kissing the side of her neck. "Warmer yet?"

"Jaune!" Pyrrha giggled, her cheeks flushing.

"Get a room!" Nora shouted, rolling her eyes and grinning at Ren.

Ren laughed, averting his eyes as Jaune continued to kiss Pyrrha. He always felt awkward watching other people flirt or kiss in public. It wasn't because they made him uncomfortable, but rather because it felt as if he was watching something very personal that he wasn't a part of. He went over to Nora and ruffled her wet hair. "Not turning into a popsicle, are you?"

"Nah, I'm good!" Nora chirped. "You gotta go in quickly so you'll adjust quickly. It's like ripping off a bandage."

"Speak for yourself." Ren looked out at the rippling water. "I'll definitely write a haiku before today's over."

"Yay! Can't wait to see it!" Nora hugged his arm. "Hey, Ren?"

"Yes?"

"Would you be awesome and go get the beach ball?"

Ren gave her a deadpanned glare. "You couldn't have thought of that before we came in?"

"Pleeeeaaaaase?" Nora stared up at him, flashing her best puppy eyes.

Ren was already heading back toward the shore. "Next time, you're getting it."

"Thank you, Ren! You're amazing!" Nora called after him.

Ren rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but smile. He found the beach ball and inflated it before quickly returning to the water, shivering as a breeze made him even colder. Getting back in the freezing lake felt like a blessing the second time around.

The four separated so that they could play four-person beach ball volleyball. Pyrrha and Nora kept whacking it over people's heads, prompting a mad scramble to retrieve the ball before the water could take it too far away from the shore.

Ren jumped up to spike the ball toward Jaune, feeling a rush of nostalgia for the days when he and Nora would play this exact game in the shallows. Their parents would always be nearby with warm towels and comforting words when a snake inevitably drove Nora from the water and Ren, of course, followed. They would sit on large picnic blankets, eating chips and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while watching the sun reflecting off of the water. Nora would then search for pretty pebbles to take home with her.

A shriek broke him from his reverie, and he turned just in time to see Nora thrashing in the water, hurrying to get away from a black, sinuous form as it swam by. Ren quickly walked over, grabbed her arm, and pulled her close. He walked her to the shore, making sure there were no other snakes nearby.

Jaune and Pyrrha joined them. "Are you okay, Nora?" Pyrrha asked, concerned. "You know, they aren't venomous."

"I know," Nora muttered, taking a deep breath, calming down significantly now that they were on land. "I just hate snakes. I don't like how they move. It's weird, you know?"

Jaune nodded. "I get it. There's a kid at my school who's terrified of moths and butterflies for the same reason."

"You guys can keep playing if you want," Ren said. "We'll set up the towels and blankets over here."

"You can go back in if you want," Nora told him.

"I'm fine," Ren assured her. "It was getting a little cold for me, anyway."

"Okay," Pyrrha nodded. "Oh! We'd better get the ball before it drifts out!" She ran toward the water, followed closely by Jaune.

Ren set about spreading the blanket out over the rocks, then taking Nora's towel and wrapping it around her shoulders. He dried her hair with it, causing her to giggle. They sat down as Ren worked on his own long hair. He noticed Nora giving him an appraising look. "What is it?"

Nora's cheeks turned pink. "You should wear your hair down more."

"You think so?" Ren brushed some of his wet bangs out of his eyes.

"Yeah! It looks really good like that."

"Thanks. I'll think about it." Truthfully, Ren found it easier to keep his hair tied back. The few times he tried letting it hang loose had been too annoying to be worth it. For some reason, however, hearing Nora comment on it made him want to give the look another try.

They watched as Jaune and Pyrrha continued to throw the beach ball back and forth. Eventually, they tossed it back to the shore and started a splash fight.

"They're so cute together!" Nora commented. "And it's totally because of us that it happened."

"That is true," Ren acknowledged. "They would likely not have met otherwise."

Nora leaned against Ren's side and yawned. "Hey, Ren?"

"Yes, Nora?"

"Remember that promise we made? The one where we wouldn't get boyfriends or girlfriends?"

"Yes." Ren looked down at her. "What about it?"

Nora shrugged, staring at her feet. "I was just wondering. Did you meet anyone that made you want to go back on that?"

"No," Ren replied. He didn't even need to think about it. He honestly had no interest in anyone in that way. No one he knew made him even consider breaking his pact with Nora. She still came first in his life, as far as he was concerned.

Nora smiled brightly. "Good! Me neither."

Ren chuckled at Nora's quick change in demeanor. It didn't take much to cheer her up when she was feeling sad or thoughtful about something. "Honestly, I don't think it'll ever be a problem. I can't imagine meeting someone I get along better with than you."

Nora's cheeks reddened. "Y-Yeah. Me too."

"Are you okay, Nora? Do you need more sunscreen?"

"No, I'm fine." Nora shifted, turning toward the lake. "Are you gonna write any haikus now?"

"Not now. Maybe after we eat, when we're a little drier." Ren noticed now Nora was fidgeting. "Getting bored?"

"Not bored! Just…" Nora paused, then sighed. "Yeah, okay."

"Want to go back in the water?"

"Not with those snakes!"

"Well, what do you want to do?"

Nora considered it for a moment. "Wanna play Truth or Dare?"

Ren raised an eyebrow. "How old are we?"

"Hey, we just sang _High School Musical_ songs for an hour!" Nora huffed.

"Good point," Ren conceded. "Okay. Truth or Dare?"

"Who said you could ask first?"

"I did when I asked first," Ren said with a smirk. "Go on. Truth or Dare?"

"Truth," Nora decided.

Ren paused, realizing that he couldn't think of a question. He and Nora told each other everything, after all. Finally, he said in a joking voice: "What is the meaning of life?"

" _Ren!_ " Nora elbowed him in the side. "No one knows that!"

"Well, what do you think it is?" Ren urged.

Nora, surprisingly, became quiet for a minute. Then, hesitantly, she responded. "I guess you should try to have a good time and help the people around you have a good time whenever possible. Because, if you're not happy, what's the point of being alive?"

Ren's brows went up. "Are you sure there isn't a poet in there somewhere?"

Nora giggled. "It's all your influence. My turn! Truth or Dare?"

"Truth." He decided to play it safe for now.

Nora brought her knees up to her chin and hugged them. "Are you happy in Vale?"

"Am I happy?" Ren considered the question for a moment. "Not really. I'm not sad anymore, but I'm not particularly happy. Vale honestly feels like a place I need to put up with until I can go where I really want to go."

"And where's that?" Nora wondered.

Ren hesitated. "I…" He thought about it, then shook his head. "I'm not sure." He knew that college came after high school. He sort of knew what he wanted to do when it came to degrees and what he'd do with those degrees. But, he wasn't sure particularly where he wanted to be. He found himself looking at Nora. Honestly, any place would be fine if she was nearby.

He felt his cheeks heating up. "Anyway, my turn. Truth or Dare?"

"Dare!" Nora said, her eyes glittering.

"Okay. I dare you…" Ren looked around, trying to think of something. He considered daring her to touch one of the snakes, but decided that that would be too mean. "I dare you to order waffles the next time we go to iHop."

Nora's eyes widened with horror. "What?! Waffles?! Who orders waffles in a pancake house?!"

"You will the next time we go," Ren replied with a smirk. "I keep telling you they're good!"

"There's no point in eating them when there are freaking pancakes around." Nora groaned. "A wasted iHop trip… You are so cruel!" She paused, then grinned. "Wait, you didn't say I couldn't order pancakes too!"

"Nora, that's too much."

"I can handle it."

"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!"

"Too late! You already said the dare." Nora folded her arms and stuck out her tongue. "Back to you. Truth or Dare?"

Deciding to take a risk, Ren replied: "Dare."

"I dare you to kiss me!" Nora blurted.

Ren blinked. His heart thudded and his stomach did a weird flip-flopping thing. "Huh?"

Nora blushed, but stayed firm. "You heard me."

Ren's brain was short-circuiting. He couldn't think straight. _Why…? Does she want me to, or…? Is this just for the game, or…?_ Also, why was his heart beating so quickly? And why did he feel weirdly excited?

He was broken from his thoughts when he noticed Jaune and Pyrrha approaching out of the corner of his eye. "Do I have to now?" he whispered.

Nora noticed Jaune and Pyrrha, and quickly shook her head. "No. You don't have to now." There was a funny expression on her face, a weird combination between embarrassment and disappointment. Ren had no idea what to make of it. He quickly pushed his confusion aside as Jaune and Pyrrha approached.

"You guys ready for lunch?" Jaune asked.

"Sure!" Ren replied.

Pyrrha was giving Nora a curious look, but ultimately didn't say anything as the group went back to the car to get the cooler.

The day passed quickly after that. They ate lunch, talked about their upcoming Junior year, and watched the sun reflecting off of the lake. Ren eventually took out his notebook and wrote a new haiku.

 _Sunlight on the waves_

 _Black pebbles smooth as snakeskin_

 _Ice in the summer_

Nora looked over his shoulder. "Only you could make snakes sound pretty," she commented.

The four went back to the car as the sun started to sink toward the horizon. Pyrrha played a quieter CD while her three passengers promptly fell asleep.

Ren felt Nora's cheek on his shoulder, and found himself blushing again. Her earlier dare was still darting through his mind like a squirrel that was hopped up on caffeine. Cautiously, he brushed his lips against the top of her head before closing his eyes and drifting off.

He had that same dream about being in the dark place with that warm, comforting entity. It had never been so vivid before.

…

Spring. Ren: Age 7. Nora: Age 6.

 _Innocent wonders_

 _Wide, bold eyes blinking softly_

 _Run along and play_

"Ren?" Nora was sitting next to Ren on the couch, watching the end of _The Lion King_.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we'll get married when we're older?"

Ren turned to look at her. "Married?"

"Yeah. Simba and Nala were best friends, and they got married. Do you think we will too?"

Ren shrugged. "I dunno. We aren't adults yet. They didn't get married till they were adults and acted all weird."

"Do you think all adults act weird?"

"I guess." Ren took a sip of his juice pouch. "That's why they always tell us we'll understand stuff when we're older."

"I hate when they say that!"

"Me too."

Nora kicked at the sofa for a few seconds. "Would you marry me, Ren?"

"Sure," Ren said. "You're the nicest girl I know."

"Am I the prettiest?" she asked.

Ren thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Mom's the prettiest."

Nora frowned. "I think my mom's prettier."

"Let's make it a tie."

"Okay!"

At that moment, Ren's dad came in. "Okay, you two. That's enough TV. Why don't you go play outside?"

The two scrambled from the sofa and ran outside, already forgetting about things like marriage and weird adults. They had more important things to focus on, like catching butterflies and climbing trees.

…..

Summer. Ren: Age 16. Nora: Age 15.

 _Addled heartbeats cry_

 _The pain of parting's tenfold_

 _Summer ends again_

Ren's palms were sweating like crazy and his heart was racing. He knew he was overthinking this, but that didn't stop him from being terrified.

It was his last day, and he was going to kiss Nora.

It was Saturday, nearly a week after the trip to the beach. Nora hadn't brought up the dare since then, and Ren knew that there wouldn't be any negative consequences if he pretended to forget about it.

Why was he so determined, then?!

Ever since Nora brought up the idea of him kissing her, he hadn't been able to get the thought out of his mind. Something like that had never seemed like an option before. He and Nora were best friends. They were like siblings, right?

Then again, was it normal for siblings to make pacts to not date anyone? Was there maybe something more to their promises and interactions that Ren simply hadn't seen?

Or had Nora just been playing around with him? It was just a game of Truth or Dare, after all.

He thought about his high school, about all of the relationships he saw that emerged, then died through drama. Then, he thought about Blake and Yang. They were closer than anyone, and there was almost no conflict between them. Would that be what he and Nora would share if he…?

 _Slow down!_ he told himself, firmly reining in his scattered mind. _You're just thinking about a kiss. Don't freak yourself out!_

There was a tap on the door, and he looked up with a start as Nora entered. Her smile was tinged with sadness, as it had been the two previous years. "Hey, Ren. Back to Vale again, huh?"

Ren nodded. "Looks like." As he looked at Nora, he felt his nervous confusion fading almost instantly. He picked up his bag and followed her out the door.

They walked alone on the path toward the bus stop. Jaune had already gone home, and Pyrrha had said goodbye the previous day. Ren felt a deep combination of sadness and happiness when he felt Nora grab his hand.

On a whim, he stopped walking. "Nora?"

Nora looked up at him. "Yeah?"

Ren leaned in, lightly brushing his lips against hers. He felt her gasp against him, then felt a warm, gentle pressure on his mouth. His eyes closed and, for a moment, he wasn't thinking about anything except for that moment in time.

Then, it ended. The two moved back from each other. Both of their cheeks were bright red.

Ren cleared his throat, suddenly feeling nervous again. "You did dare me to do that," he muttered. "I didn't forget."

Nora blinked a few times, looking a little dazed. Then, she smiled, though there seemed to be a hint of sadness returning to her eyes. "Way to wait till the last minute," she joked, tapping his nose. "Boop!"

Ren smiled, though he was acutely aware of a painful tightening in his chest. What were all these new feelings? Was he getting sick or something?

The two walked the rest of the way to the bus stop, where they shared a long, tight hug. Blake stood nearby, her gaze carefully fixed on where the bus would appear. When it pulled up, Ren pulled himself away from Nora.

"See you next summer," he said, his voice coming out huskier than usual.

Nora nodded. "Yep! See you, Ren." She also waved to Blake. "Bye, Blake!"

Blake smiled. "Bye."

Ren and Blake got onto the bus, where Ren looked out the window, trying to keep Nora in his line of sight for as long as possible as the bus pulled away and onto the road to Vale. Even after they were gone, he continued to stare out the window.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Blake commented, her voice gentler than usual.

Ren shook his head. "I couldn't tell you what they are right now."

Blake let out a long sigh, but didn't say anything else on the matter.

 **Are you mentally shaking him by the shoulders yet? Good. That means I'm doing my job! ^_^ So, I have this thing when it comes to my friends and any potential future partners: If you won't sing** _ **High School Musical**_ **songs with me in the car, we are not on the same wavelength, and something desperately needs to change. I have standards, yo!**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support in exchange for rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	10. Fourth Summer: Clear as Day

**Greetings, friends! We are back with our favorite oblivious ninja dork. He's on his second to last summer. What will happen next, I wonder?**

 **Enjoy!**

Summer. Ren: Age 17. Nora: Age 16.

 _Adrenaline rush_

 _Familiar, stranger thoughts_

 _An unknowing heart_

Ren stared eagerly out the window as the bus came to a stop. He didn't see Nora, but that was okay. She was probably hiding in the bushes. Shouldering his bag, he stepped off the bus and looked around. _Any minute now…_ He waited.

He waited for a few more minutes. _Maybe she's at the camp._ Though, he couldn't imagine why. Jaune wouldn't be there. He had texted Ren a few weeks ago saying that he wouldn't be attending this year.

 _Him and Blake…_ The bus ride had been incredibly dull without Blake to talk to. Ren could text, but Blake was apparently on a date with Yang, and Nora wasn't texting back for whatever reason. So, he was stuck with his own thoughts.

He arrived at the camp, realizing belatedly that he had to find a counselor, since Jaune wasn't here to be his roommate and take him to their cabin He went to the welcome area and noticed a new counselor walking around. She looked to be in her late thirties and had a very no-nonsense air about her. "Hello," he said as he approached. "I'm Lie Ren."

The woman looked at him, then at the clipboard she was holding. "You are in Cabin F." She graced him with a small smile. "I'm Glynda Goodwitch. I'm going to be running the workshops from now on. What do you write?"

"Haikus mostly," Ren replied. He felt a small surge of hope. This looked like someone who took everything seriously, which could mean that she'd be better at actually running the workshops and providing unbiased advice.

Glynda nodded. "Interesting. Those can be hard to do well. I look forward to seeing your work."

Ren smiled. "Thank you." As he walked to his cabin, he thought of Blake and Jaune, who had decided against coming back to the camp due to the lackluster quality of the workshops. _If this Glynda person turns out to be good, and if she stays on, maybe they'll come back next year._

He sighed, shaking his head. There was no point in thinking too far ahead. As he reached the cabin, he glanced at his phone. Still no messages. He saw a bag on the other bed, and guessed that his roommate was off somewhere else. Not sure what else to do, he put his clothes into the provided dresser, packed his notebook and folder in a smaller backpack he had brought, and headed into town by himself.

Everything was the same. To some, that would be boring. To Ren, it was a comfort. Senior year was approaching, along with college applications, figuring out what he wanted to do with his life, and starting to become an adult. It was terrifying! A large part of him wished that he could just get a job somewhere in Oniyuri, buy a house or decent apartment somewhere, and just live a quiet life with Nora always nearby.

He blushed a little as his fantasy automatically included Nora living with him in said home.

 _Blake was right,_ he thought mournfully, looking back to several talks he had had with her after finally fessing up to what had happened at the end of last summer. _I have a hopeless crush on my best friend._

In the weeks following last year's departure from camp, Ren had tried convincing himself that the kiss with Nora had been nothing more than the result of a dare. However, he couldn't stop thinking about how soft her lips had been, about that adorable little gasp she had let out when their lips first touched, about how she had tasted vaguely of maple syrup…

He shook himself, checking his phone again. Still no messages. He tried not to panic, but the worry that Nora was avoiding him still managed to worm its way into his mind.

 _She was totally normal on the phone and in the emails this past year,_ he told himself. _She's not going to avoid you now just because of last year. Besides, she dared you to do it first!_

He paused by the candy store, then kept walking. It didn't feel right getting candy without Nora. He thought about going to Books n' Brews, but that was on the other side of town. Instead, he kept walking along the same sidewalk, glancing at the familiar stores, parking lots, and the old elementary school. Finally, he reached the playground.

A few kids were running around, playing and shouting without a care in the world. Ren noticed that some of the old equipment had been replaced with newer, shinier pieces.

 _Probably for the best,_ he mused. _That wood equipment gave kids so many splinters. And there wasn't a single summer when there weren't yellow jacket nests somewhere._

Letting out a sigh, he leaned back against the bench, allowing his thoughts to wander. Jaune was in the next town over. Pyrrha was probably busy with summer classes. Blake and Yang were totally focused on each other. He wasn't sure what Nora was planning.

Where did that leave Ren? Alone, just like he'd been before that first summer? Taking out his notebook, he scribbled down a new haiku off the top of his head.

 _Empty, silent, still_

 _The desolate gale chills me_

 _My eyes see nothing_

Even his haikus were getting worse! He closed his notebook with an annoyed grunt.

….

Fall. Ren: Age 16 and a half.

 _Steeped in denial_

 _Metaphorical head slaps_

 _Obliviousness_

It was evening, and Ren had been spending the past half hour focused almost entirely on his sushi. Yang was chattering away, as usual, and Blake was listening, nodding occasionally while munching on her tuna sashimi.

This was a normal setting. There was no reason for Ren to feel different, left out, or sad, but he did. Even the taste of his Spicy Dragon Roll wasn't helping. He sipped his green tea, suppressing another sigh.

Blake seemed to finally notice her friend's expression. "So, Ren. Any word from Nora?"

Ren looked up from his food. "She, Pyrrha, and Jaune are going to a Halloween party downtown. Apparently, one of the scariest haunted houses in the state is nearby."

"Ooh, we should do something for Halloween!" Yang said eagerly. "I'm sure we can find a costume party somewhere."

"When Nora and I were kids, we always coordinated our costumes for Halloween," Ren remembered. "There was one year when we were both ninjas, and tried switching places in our classes."

"No way! Did it work?" Yang laughed.

"No. We had to take our masks off before even coming in the door. Security and all that." Ren shrugged. "We didn't really have much of a plan on how to do it successfully, anyway. We weren't even the same height."

"I bet Nora came up with that," Blake noted.

"She did. She's been messaging me lately about starting a plan for a huge senior prank. I'm trying to talk her out of it."

"Why?" Yang asked. "Sounds awesome! I'll have to talk to her."

"You're friends with her online, right?"

"Hell yeah, she's amazing!" Yang said with a grin. "Seriously, Ren. You need to snag her before someone else does."

"Who says she needs to be 'snagged?'"

"Not saying she needs to be. Just saying it's gonna happen. Someone as cool as she is can't remain single for long."

"It won't happen," Ren said calmly. "We-" He paused, realizing belatedly how his vow with Nora would sound to them.

Of course, Yang latched on immediately. "You what? Tell!"

"Yang," Blake murmured. "He doesn't have to." Even as she spoke, however, her eyes were keenly focused on Ren.

Ren glanced at the two, then stared at his sushi. "Nora and I…promised each other not to date anyone. We want to put our friendship first."

There was a long pause followed by a thump. Ren looked up again to see that Yang had slammed her face onto the table next to her plate. "Oh my god," she groaned. "You can't be that stupid. No one is that oblivious!"

Blake was gaping at Ren, shaking her head slowly. "Wow…"

Ren glared at them. "What?"

Yang sat back up, rubbing her forehead. "Ren. Buddy. Do you wanna know what it's called when two people promise not to date other people in order to focus on each other? It's called a freaking exclusive relationship!"

"A relationship that is not necessarily romantic!" Ren cut in.

Blake facepalmed. "Ren… I'm not saying that's not a thing that can happen, but… Come on. You kissed her at the end of summer. Whenever she texts you, I can tell because your face gets this weird combination of a happy smile and really sad puppy eyes."

"It does not!"

"It does," Yang affirmed. "It really does."

"I don't get it," Blake said. "You two would be amazing together. What are you so afraid of?"

Ren took another bite of sushi to buy himself some time, then sipped his green tea for a minute. When his friends showed no sign of relenting, he sighed. "It's safer for both of us."

"Safer, how?" Blake asked.

"Safer, as in things won't change," Ren muttered. "As friends, everything is fine. We can talk to each other about anything. Nothing is awkward. But romance…" He shook his head. "I know nothing about it. I've seen enough couples at school to know there's a lot of needless clinginess, jealousy, and this…obsessiveness that I'm not comfortable with. If something happened to take away from what Nora and I have now, I don't know what I'd do. Besides, what if she doesn't feel the same way?"

"I promise you won't have to worry about that last part," Blake said flatly.

"As for the rest, that seems a bit dramatic," Yang noted. "I mean, look at Blake and me. Do you think we're not gonna last?"

"I don't know." Ren shrugged. "You're different. Honestly, if it wasn't for seeing you kiss on occasion, I'd think you were best friends the same way Nora and I are."

"Gal pals, you mean?" Yang said with a snort.

"Maybe that's the answer," Blake noted. "Because, that's honestly how it feels with Yang: Like we're friends first, girlfriends second. I think that's what makes it so easy. If your relationship was formed on that basis, would it really be so bad?"

"But, what if we broke up for whatever reason later on?" Ren asked. "Wouldn't that ruin things?"

"I doubt it," Blake said. "You two aren't the types to get into petty arguments. If you did break up, I'd imagine it being very amicable. If your friendship is as strong as you say it is, that shouldn't be an issue."

Ren picked at his sushi. "I'll…think about it."

"Good!" Yang said. "Think about it, then snag that adorable little ginger next summer!"

Ren found himself smirking. "Careful, Blake. Sounds like you have competition."

Blake swatted Yang playfully. "Hands off Ren's woman!"

"She's not my-!"

"Anyway, are you going to eat that sushi or just poke it? Because this is seriously driving me crazy."

Ren chuckled, pushing the plate to the middle of the table. "Help yourself."

…

Summer. Ren: Age 17. Nora: Age 16.

 _Unspoken relief_

 _The heart sings what lips won't say_

 _Truth is freed at last_

A buzz from Ren's phone caused him to jump. He looked at the screen, seeing a text from Nora.

" _ARRRRGGGHHH! Track team sucks! They called a last-minute practice, and my stupid phone was dead, so I couldn't text you! I'm really, really, really sorry! You're not mad, right? Where are you? Please don't be mad!"_

The most intense feeling of relief flooded Ren's body, causing him to slump back against the bench. He laughed quietly at himself for being so worried. _Of course Nora wouldn't be avoiding you. She'd never do that. Maybe this senior stress is starting to get to you already._

Quickly, he texted back.

" _Of course I'm not mad. I'm at the playground. See you soon!"_ After closing his phone, he focused on the parking lot, guessing that Nora's mom would be dropping her off. Minutes later, the sight of a familiar pale pink car proved him right.

The car barely stopped before Nora jumped out and ran over to Ren, who stood up and braced his feet just before getting hit. "Oof!" he groaned, even as his arms came up to wrap around his best friend.

"Ren! Hi! I'm sorry I wasn't at the bus stop!" Nora said, her voice muffled by his shirt. She snuggled closer, squeezing him tightly.

Ren rested his head on top of hers, letting out a quiet sigh. The last few coils of loneliness and agitation that had been in his chest loosened at last. "It's fine," he murmured. "I know how clubs can be."

"Yep. At least I'm not in the Marching Band Death Cult."

"I highly doubt that band is a death cult, Nora," Ren said, rolling his eyes.

"It totally is! I'm not even kidding!" Nora giggled as she looked up. "You really missed me, huh?"

Ren blushed, realizing that he hadn't let go of Nora, and quickly stepped back. "Of course I did," he said. "I always do."

Nora smiled, her beaming face easily outshining the brightness of the sky overhead. "Good! Wanna go to the candy store? I'll buy this time, to make up for being late."

Ren nodded. "Lead on." As Nora's hand slipped so easily and so perfectly into his, he realized something with a jolt. _I don't just have a crush on her._

He knew this with a strangely-deep sense of certainty. The warmth in his chest, the fact that his smile just wouldn't go away, and the sheer relief he had felt upon seeing her text were more than enough to confirm it, even if this was totally new to him.

 _I'm in love with her!_

 **Took him long enough, but he finally got it! I love typing his interactions with Blake and Yang in this story. There are just so many character combos that would have been so amazing to see in canon! I know we get a taste of it in** _ **Chibi**_ **, but this is also the show that makes Nora a yandere, so we can't really take it too seriously.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support in exchange for rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	11. Fourth Summer: Nothing to Fear

**Greetings, everyone! We're back with everyone's favorite bit of poetry-laced fluff. Season 5 cometh, and let's hope Team Sloth remains as alive and strong as ever!**

 **Enjoy!**

 _Familiar night_

 _The faintest of voices calls_

 _I'm already here_

It was dark, and a familiar warmth rested in his arms. He smiled, hugging it to his chest. That sense of security and happiness he had grown so accustomed to radiated within him. He felt so content. He'd happily remain exactly where he was forever.

The warmth shifted. At the same time, something changed. The darkness was illuminated by thousands of tiny, golden lights. The floated, flickered, and drifted around, brightening only a few millimeters around them, not truly lighting up the darkness.

That was fine. Ren didn't need to see his surroundings. He knew that he was where he wanted to be. He reached out, allowing one of the lights to perch on his finger. Looking close, he realized it was a firefly. It fluttered its wings, remaining on his hand.

For a moment, the light around the firefly widened, and Ren caught a glimpse of a loving glimmer in a familiar pair of turquoise eyes. The light flew away, and the image was gone.

Something touched the tip of his nose, as lightly as the brush of a moth's wing.

"Boop."

….

Summer. Ren: Age 17. Nora: Age 16.

 _Early morning muse_

 _Dew rests on wistful flowers_

 _Filtered gray sunlight_

Ren's eyes flew open. He was as suddenly awake as he would have been if an actual voice had spoken into his ear. Instinctively, he turned his head. The only other person in the room was his roommate, who was still sleeping peacefully in the other cot.

Letting out a sigh, Ren closed his eyes again. It was the same dream, but different. Then again, had it really been different?

 _Have I been dreaming about Nora this whole time? Have I just been…in denial these past few years?_ He could practically hear Yang shouting "Yes! You are, you goddamned moron!"

It had already been a week since his arrival back in Oniyuri, and a week since his realization that he was in love with Nora. He still had no idea what to do.

 _Of all the times for Blake to not be here…_ Technically, he could call her, but he didn't want to risk anyone hearing. Besides, he didn't think that acting like the characters from one of her special books would exactly help him in this case.

But, what was he supposed to do? Every love confession he had ever seen had been in a movie or book, and the characters involved had been nothing like him or Nora.

Asking Pyrrha for advice was an option, he supposed.

He glanced at his phone. It was nearly seven, meaning that breakfast wouldn't be served for another hour. Knowing that he wouldn't be falling asleep again, Ren packed his notebooks and the copies of his workshop pieces before getting dressed and quietly leaving the cabin.

He walked around the grounds, dew moistening his shoes and the ankles of his swish pants. He preferred wearing longer pants, even in the summer, due to the fact that he was in a park and mosquitos were a constant, evil presence.

Eventually, he found a dry enough spot on a bench and sat down, taking his notebook and pen out. He looked around, put the pen to paper, then placed both to the side. He wasn't feeling any words coming to mind at that moment. He'd been having that problem ever since he got to Oniyuri. He was nearing a point where he'd have to recycle old haikus for the workshops.

"Writer's block?"

Ren jumped a little, turning his head to see Glynda Goodwitch, the new counselor, standing behind him. Her pristine appearance hinted that she had already been up for at least an hour. She held a steaming thermos in one hand. Over the course of the past week, she had already proven herself to be infinitely more competent than any other teacher he had had at this camp. It was a shame that Ren hadn't been able to write anything new in that time.

"In a way," he murmured.

Glynda nodded. "I've gotten good inspiration soon after waking up, though most artists get inspired at night, hence the often-nocturnal lifestyle of college art students."

"Really?" Ren tilted his head. "I do a lot of my best writing in the afternoon and evening."

"Any time you're writing is a good time." Glynda frowned as she looked at his face. "Have you not been sleeping?"

"I've…had a lot on my mind," Ren muttered, not sure of how much to tell. He knew that adults never took teen feelings seriously, especially when those feelings had to do with romance.

"Anything serious?" Glynda asked.

"I'm not having any problems at home, or anything," Ren quickly assured her. "It's just a personal issue."

Glynda looked at him carefully for a moment. "Is it a girl?"

Ren grimaced. "Is it that obvious?"

"I've been working with kids your age for years," Glynda said with a dry smile. "I know the signs. Is it someone here?"

"Not the camp, but she's in this town," Ren found himself saying. _It's early in the morning. No one will overhear, and Miss Goodwitch doesn't seem like the type to tell anyone else…_ "She's the reason I come to these workshops every year."

"My, so it is serious." Glynda nodded slowly. "I hope you come at least partially for your works. Your haikus are quite good, though they lack a personal touch."

Ren's face flushed. "I don't feel comfortable submitting my more personal pieces."

"That's a shame," Glynda commented. "Still, it's up to you. As for this girl, what do you intend to do?"

"I don't know," Ren admitted. "We've been friends since we were little kids, and I don't want to risk ruining anything." He shook his head, realizing how hollow that argument sounded at this point. "I know there are more reasons to tell her than not to, but I'm still too scared."

Glynda didn't laugh or crack even the slightest amused smile, which Ren was grateful for. She just nodded in understanding. "Fear will make you irrational. My advice would be to tell her. Life is too short to keep secrets, especially from your closest friends."

Ren felt himself smiling. Though this was basically the same thing Blake had told him, it was nice to hear someone of authority say it. "Thank you. And, sorry to talk your ear off. You probably hear this kind of thing all the time."

"I do," Glynda allowed. "But it's always important to the student in question, so I treat it seriously, as I should. I was a teen once too, after all." She took a sip from her thermos. "Well, I'll leave you to your writing. See you in class."

"Bye." Ren watched her for a moment, then turned back to his notebook. _She's right,_ he thought. _There's no reason why I shouldn't be honest. I can do this._ His confidence immediately started to waver, and he tried holding onto it as best as he could.

Something else occurred to him, something that made his resolve harden once again: This would be his second to last summer in Oniyuri. After the following summer, he'd be going off to college, potentially much further away from Nora. If he didn't tell her soon, there would hardly even be any point anymore.

…

Spring. Ren: Age 8. Nora: Age 7.

 _Blazing sun's fury_

 _Sweat, dirt, and tears fall swiftly_

 _Through her fiery wrath_

It was hot, sweat was beading on Ren's brow, and he wanted nothing more than to be inside the air-conditioned school once again. Still, he held onto his part of the rope and pulled as hard as he could, which honestly wasn't that hard. Behind him, he could hear Nora grunting with exertion as she yanked and tugged with all her might.

There was another moment when everything was still, then the opposing team pulled back in a sudden burst, causing Ren and Nora's team to fall on their faces. Ren grunted as Nora landed across his back. "Ow…"

Nora giggled, rolling off of him. "Sorry, Ren."

On the other side of the line, one of the opposing boys let out a laugh. "That's what you get when you have the twig and the pipsqueak on one team!"

Ren moved to the side, not even blinking as Nora immediately went into fight-mode, standing up and putting her hands on her hips.

"What did you call us?" she snapped.

"I think he called us weak," Ren muttered as he dusted himself off.

Nora cracked her knuckles. "Wanna come over here and say that?"

"Nora, you'll get in trouble," Ren said, knowing that his words would do no good.

"Only if I actually kill them!" Nora chirped.

This, of course, was more than enough to provoke the bully to close the distance between them and draw his fist back. Nora ducked the punch easily before nailing him in the stomach. The boy fell to his knees, where he immediately started sobbing and calling for the teacher.

The teachers, who had conveniently missed everything leading up to that punch, strode over and escorted Nora toward the principal's office. Ren followed, trying to explain that Nora hadn't thrown the first punch, but it didn't do any good. It never did.

Later on, Ren and Nora were sitting on the steps with Nora's mom. "So," Mrs. Valkyrie said. "What happened this time?"

"Cardin went to punch Nora, she punched him back, and the teachers punished her," Ren said, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. "It's not fair. She always gets in trouble, but the bullies never do."

"Did you egg him on?" Mrs. Valkyrie asked, raising a dark eyebrow. "You have a bad habit of doing that."

Nora glanced to the side guiltily. "Maybe a little."

"He shouldn't have tried hitting, though!" Ren protested. "And she doesn't always say stuff. Sometimes, they just want to hurt us."

"That's true," Mrs. Valkyrie agreed. "However, picking fights is never right. I'm disappointed that that's what happened this time." She touched Nora's shoulder. "You should always try to walk away from a bully. If they strike first or threaten you, you have every right to defend yourself, but it's your job as the better person to try and keep it from getting that far."

"I don't want to be the better person! Not when they're being mean to Ren." Nora folded her arms stubbornly.

Ren smiled a little. "Thanks, Nora."

Mrs. Valkyrie looked at the two, then sighed. "Let's go home. Ren, would you like to come over for a few hours?"

At this point, it was assumed that one of the two would be at the other's house after school. They hardly needed to call each other's parents anymore. Ren nodded eagerly. "Yeah!"

Once they were strapped into the car, Nora leaned over. "Don't worry, Ren. I won't stop protecting you from bullies."

Ren squeezed her hand. "Maybe you don't have to yell at them, though."

Nora sighed. "Oh, fine. I won't say anything to make them mad. Still, if they try anything, pow!" She held up a fist with a grin.

"You're the best," Ren said seriously.

"I know!" Nora chirped. "Don't worry, Ren. You got nothing to be scared of with me around. Promise." She tapped his nose once to emphasize her point. "Boop!"

….

Summer. Ren: Age 17. Nora: Age 16.

 _Preparations made_

 _The dam cannot hold its shape_

 _Nothing left to fear_

After the last workshop of the day, Ren checked his phone to see new messages from Nora, Pyrrha, and Jaune. All were variations of "Are you free today?"

Ren quickly texted all of them, telling them that he was done with workshops and asking to meet him at Books n' Brews in a few minutes. He assumed that Jaune was already in town visiting Pyrrha.

He ended up arriving just as the others did. Nora, of course, ran up to him, hugging him tightly. "Hiya, Ren! How were the workshops?"

"Better," Ren said honestly. "Miss Goodwitch is actually a really good teacher. Looks like you chose the wrong year to stop, Jaune."

Jaune shrugged. "I'm not a writer. I've actually started taking advanced guitar lessons this summer. It's a much better use of my time"

"That's great!" Ren exclaimed. "I'd love to hear some new songs sometime."

"Always happy to play for an audience," Jaune said with a dramatic bow and flourish.

Pyrrha giggled. "Don't bump your head doing that, sweetie." She laughed even more at Jaune's answering pout.

The four spent over an hour sitting at one of the tables, sipping their green teas, cocoas, cream sodas, and lattes. Pyrrha complained about the summer courses her mother was making her take, Jaune talked about some music schools he was looking into for college, and Nora ranted about track team. Ren mostly listened, answering questions about Vale when prompted.

As he sat there and continued to talk, he was acutely aware of a sense of peace and contentment surrounding the four friends. In that moment, any fears involving Nora seemed silly. Of course nothing could ruin this sense of camaraderie they shared. Nothing would take away that comfortable, easy friendship that they had developed over the course of their lives.

Before, he had thought about maybe talking to Jaune and asking for advice. But now, it didn't feel like he even needed to do that. Instead, after the group split apart to look at the used books, Ren gathered his courage and spoke to Nora. "Nora, do you want to walk around the park after my workshop tomorrow?"

Nora grimaced. "I have track until late. Stupid school clubs doing stuff over the summer… How about the day after?"

Ren nodded. "Okay." He just had to do this soon, before he lost his nerve.

Nora tilted her head as she looked up at him. "You look nervous, Ren. You okay?"

Ren managed a semi-convincing smile. "I'm fine."

Though Nora gave him a suspicious look, she didn't ask any other questions. Ren let out a breath once she turned away. He had forty eight hours to figure out exactly what to say.

 _I might need to call Jaune after all…_

 **Well, look who's finally coming around! Give the boy a pat on the back!**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support in exchange for rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	12. Fourth Summer: Boop

**Whoops! I totally forgot that this was a "Five Summers" week. And this is such an important chapter, too. Here it is, folks! Sorry about that.**

Summer. Ren: Age 17. Nora: Age 16.

 _Calming breaths and words_

 _Prepare yourself without fear_

 _For your heart's desire_

"OH MY GOD IT'S ABOUT FREAKING TIME!"

Ren held his phone away from his face, rubbing his ear before bringing it close again. "Could you speak up, Jaune? I think I still have some hearing left in my right ear."

It was the day before Ren was planning to tell Nora how he felt. It turned out that it was a good thing that they had decided on meeting up the following day. It was ninety degrees, and the plan he was thinking of involved being outside. He had impulsively sent Nora a text reminding her to drink a lot of water while at track practice.

Her familiar reply of _"Yes, Dad. Whatever you say, Dad."_ had made him chuckle in spite of his ongoing nervousness. Jaune's hyperness over the phone, however, wasn't helping in the slightest.

"Sorry," Jaune said sheepishly. "I'm just really excited. I mean, I've been waiting for this basically since I first met you two?"

"It seems that everyone has," Ren muttered.

"Including Nora. I guarantee it!"

"Has she…said anything to you?" Ren wondered. Blake had told him repeatedly how obvious it was that Nora liked him, but it was hard for him to tell. Nora had always acted the same toward him ever since they first met: chipper, happy, a little clingy, and always looking out for him. Was Blake really right? If so, Ren was either incredibly oblivious to changes in behavior, or Nora had just always had feelings for him. The thought of that made his cheeks flush more than the heat ever could.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Jaune said. Ren could almost hear his smirk through the phone. "I'm not doing your work for you. Besides, that's girl talk. I'm never included in that. Pyrrha wouldn't tell me anything even if I asked, just like I won't tell any of them about our talk right now. Until after you confess to Nora and finally get with her, anyway."

Ren rolled his eyes, though he was touched by Jaune's determination to keep to quote-on-quote "bro-code." "I was thinking of taking her to the field where we would watch fireflies when we were younger. She took me there during one of these summers to help get my inspiration back. To be honest…it wasn't the fireflies that inspired me."

"Aww!" Jaune exclaimed. "Man, what I wouldn't give to be a firefly in that field tomorrow. I'll need details. I hope you realize this."

Ren chuckled a little. "Okay. Thank you, Jaune."

The two talked for a little while longer before Jaune had to eat dinner. Ren closed his phone and leaned back on the bench he was sitting on. Since he had a little time before bed, he decided to look at some of the critiques on his haikus.

To his surprise, the first page he looked at actually had some helpful tips. Against his better judgment, he had decided to submit one of his older haikus from when he had first moved to Vale. It was one that he had shown to Nora during his first summer at the workshop.

 _Fleeing from nothing_

 _Wingbeats stir the heartless air_

 _A cold sun rises_

Comments like "Good job depicting a sense of hopelessness," were encouraging. Listed below, he saw some alternatives to his use of "cold sun," which included "dank moon" and "bleak sun." He found that he liked bleak better than cold and circled the comment. Glancing at the signature at the bottom, he saw that this one was from Glynda Goodwitch.

 _No surprises there,_ he thought. He flipped through other critiques and was surprised to find other helpful comments. Maybe having Goodwitch as a teacher was helping to show the other students how to critique other works. _If she plans on coming back, I should tell Blake to sign up next summer._

He looked at the old haiku again, sighing as he remembered his state of mind when he had written it. It had been another lonely, dull day in Vale. Nora hadn't been able to come to the phone that night. He had been staring out his window when a pigeon flew by. Its face had seemed every bit as listless as Ren had felt. His hand had gone to his pen, and a new haiku had been born.

He didn't feel that way anymore. His parents had remarked on how much happier he was after that first summer. He owed a lot of that to Blake and Yang, of course, but he owed the most to Nora. She had been the one to see the heart of his problems. She hadn't judged. She had simply advised him on what to do while promising to keep being there for him.

That was one thing that had always been a constant in his life: Nora's support. It had come to mean so much to him. Ren knew that, no matter what happened, she would always drop everything to help him.

In that moment, a sense of clarity overcame everything else. He could do this. He could tell her how he felt. He was suddenly surer of that than of anything. Even if Blake, Jaune, and everyone else were wrong and Nora didn't love Ren in the same way, she still loved him as a friend and always would. Telling her wouldn't cause the sky to explode, and her rejecting him wouldn't be the end of the world. It would just mean that they'd keep going on as they always had. Ren could definitely think of worse fates.

…..

Fall. Ren: Age 11. Nora: Age 10 and a half.

 _Black eyes and black thoughts_

 _Wish for new realities_

 _Home in one kind voice_

Ren blinked dully at the ceiling of his room. The posters hanging up there provided no comfort. With one hand, he held an ice pack to his right eye, trying not to start crying again.

It had finally happened. He had been treated to what it was like having bullies after him without Nora to protect him. And he had been every bit as weak and cowardly as he knew he was.

He wondered if he could just fake being sick for the rest of the year. Maybe his eye would be permanently damaged, and his parents would realize that Vale was a horrible place and that they needed to go home to Oniyuri right away.

 _Fat chance…_ Ren sniffled a little. The coldness of the ice was making his nose runny.

A knock on his door barely caused him to look up. "Yeah, Mom?"

"Sweetie, it's for you. It's Nora."

Ren sat up immediately, opening the door. "Thanks."

"How's your eye?" His mother gently touched his face. "Oh, it's looking better already. I'm ordering Chinese for dinner. Do you want your usual?"

The prospect of Chinese food did cause Ren to smile a little. "Can I have extra rangoons this time?"

His mother chuckled. "Of course you can. Go talk to Nora. I'll tell you when the food gets here."

"Thanks, Mom." Ren closed the door after she left and brought the phone to his ear. "Hey, Nora."

"I AM GOING TO BREAK THEIR LEGS!" Nora shouted, her voice causing the landline to make static sounds.

"I guess Mom told you what happened today," Ren said, holding the phone away from his face.

"Yeah, she did! I can't believe- The nerve of- UGH!" Ren imagined her plopping down on her bed and scowling at the wall. "I wanna come down there right now!"

"I wish you could," Ren replied honestly. Hearing her voice was doing him wonders. Even the prospect of crab rangoons and dumplings for dinner couldn't compare.

"Well, I could take a bus or hitchhike." Nora's voice took on a thoughtful tone.

"Don't you dare!" Ren said immediately. "You'd get kidnapped!"

"I'd kick anyone's butt if they tried," Nora snorted, though her tone turned uncertain. "But, busses suck, so I won't try that anyway."

"Good," Ren sighed. "Best friends aren't easy to find. I can't have mine getting taken away."

"Well, I can't have mine getting damaged!" Nora snapped. "Try finding someone who can look out for you, or maybe learn how to fight."

"I did kick the bully after he got my face. Got his knees and made him fall to the ground."

"That's my Ren!" Nora crowed proudly. "Show 'em who's boss. Did the teachers yell at you?"

"Of course," Ren sighed. "Thankfully, the principal is actually reasonable. He looked at the hallway cameras and saw that I didn't start the fight."

"Why didn't any of our principals ever do that?"

"Oniyuri is too poor for cameras, Nora," Ren reminded her. "This is a big city school."

"Good point. Still."

The two talked for another half hour, when Ren was called for dinner. "I gotta go. Talk to you later."

"Bye, Ren! Boop!" There was the sound of something tapping the phone before the click.

Ren hung up on his end and walked down stairs, not realizing that his easy smile had returned until his parents pointed it out over the dinner table.

….

Summer. Ren: Age 17. Nora: Age 16.

 _Fireflies shine once more_

 _Whispers drift through evening grass_

 _A touch like soft wings_

The evening was pleasantly cool, which Ren was immensely grateful for. He had been worried that tonight would be as muggy and sticky as the previous night, which would have ruined the mood terribly.

Of course, nothing could ruin his mood when Nora bounded into the camp and hugged him tightly, lifting him up. "I survived the Track Practice from Hell! Rejoice!"

Ren chuckled as she put him down. "I'm glad. I was worried you'd fall on the track and they'd have to peel you off."

"I swear, that almost happened to one guy!" Nora gasped. "If he had stayed down, he would've been fried!" She hugged her friend's arm. "So, what are we doing? Are we looking for poem inspiration?"

"No," Ren replied. "I think I'm going to have plenty of that soon. At least, I hope so." He swallowed nervously.

Nora noticed and frowned. "You were acting a little weird before. Are you sure there's nothing wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Ren assured her. "Just… There's something I want to tell you. I promise it's not bad. It's important, but not bad." He swore that he felt her grip on him tighten a little when he said that. Was that a good thing, or a bad thing?

"Okay." Nora's voice was very quiet all of a sudden. Did she already know what Ren was going to say? Had she somehow gotten it out of Jaune or Blake?

 _Focus, Ren! Don't overthink it, or you'll lose your nerve!_ Resolutely, he led the way through the park to the firefly field. The sun was sinking lower, and a few of the early fireflies were starting to shed their tiny lights on the dry grass.

They found the same old log they had sat on before. It was slightly rotted on one side, but still stable. Ren sat down first, and Nora sat next to him, close enough for their sides to be touching.

Deciding to take that as an encouraging sign, Ren hesitantly brushed his fingertips against her wrist. He felt her stiffen beside him, then felt her hand shakily slip into his. He then knew without a doubt that Nora knew what was going to happen. He just hoped that the nervousness she was showing was the excited kind rather than the bad kind.

"Nora," he started, electing to look at the fireflies instead of her face for the time being. If he looked at her for too long, he'd forget how to talk. "We've been friends for a long time."

Nora giggled a little. "That's the understatement of the century." At the same time, she squeezed his hand, urging him to continue.

"True," Ren chuckled. "You've been more than a friend to me. You've been my first line of support whenever anything went wrong. You were my protector when I couldn't defend myself. You always knew how to make me happy when I was feeling sad. You understand me in a way no one else does." He realized that he had started stroking her wrist with his thumb in a nervous gesture. She didn't seem to mind.

"You mean a lot to me too, Ren," Nora replied. There was a softness to her voice that was strangely familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

In that moment, Ren found the courage to look at her. She was already staring up at him. He could see the flush on her cheeks, as well as a shine in her turquoise eyes that had nothing to do with the ever-increasing fireflies. He felt his heart tighten in his chest as the words started coming on their own.

"You remember when we promised that we wouldn't date anyone, because we wanted to be the most important people in each other's lives?"

Nora nodded, and Ren could see her cheeks darkening just a little.

"Well, nothing has changed. You're still the most important person in my life, and I don't want to be with anyone else…" He trailed off, realizing that Nora was a lot closer.

"D-Do you know what I'm saying, Nora?" His voice was barely a whisper now.

He caught a glimpse of her radiant smile as she replied, now mere millimeters away from him. "Sure do."

Then, their lips touched and anything else Ren had been planning on saying faded into irrelevance. He closed his eyes, pressing closer to her. Her lips were chapped and incredibly warm. He gripped her hand tightly while bringing his other hand up to touch her burning cheek. His heart was pounding like crazy, but his mind was oddly calm. There were no mental fireworks, no emotional highs. There was just a sense of overwhelming rightness, as if everything about this moment was as perfect as it could possibly be. And it was. Ren knew that it was.

When they drew back, their grasped hands were sweaty, prompting them to let go. Nora leaned against Ren's side, sighing contentedly. "I was gonna tell you first, but you beat me to it," she complained.

Ren pecked the top of her head. "Tell me what?"

Nora groaned, punching his shoulder. "Don't embarrass me! You know exactly what!"

Ren's smile turned to a full grin. He felt lighter than air. "Come on," he teased. "I want to hear you say it."

"You first!" Nora drew back, sticking her tongue out at him.

"That's not fair. I started this whole conversation."

"Yeah, but I actually made the move and kissed you first." Nora folded her arms. "That counts for more points."

"What points?" Ren laughed. "You're making this up!"

"Am not!" Nora huffed. "Besides, I've been saying it for years. It's your turn."

"Wait, what?" Ren raised an eyebrow. "When did you say it? I feel like I would've remembered something like that."

Nora glanced to the side, suddenly looking very shy. After a moment, she scooted close again and tapped Ren's nose. "Boop."

Ren blinked in confusion. _What…?_ Then, his eyes widened as realization hit him. "Wait, so… Whenever you… You were actually…" He thought back to the thousands of nose boops over the years and felt a little dizzy.

Nora shrugged, staring at her feet. "I've always felt this way toward you, Ren. I just figured you saw me as more of a sister, so I didn't say anything."

Ren touched her shoulder, smiling gently at her. "It's the same for me, though I didn't actually realize it until recently. Even when I did, I was worried. I didn't want to mess up our friendship."

Nora giggled quietly. "I guess we were both pretty clueless, huh?"

"I guess so." Ren brushed his lips against hers again. "I'm still a little worried," he admitted. "I've seen so many couples end badly."

"It won't be like that for us," Nora said adamantly. "Those people are idiots who declared their love after only knowing each other for, like, a week! Besides, we're best friends. That'll always be more important. That's the difference. If we stay friends first, boyfriend/girlfriend second, we don't have to worry, right?"

Ren smiled. "That's what Blake and Yang told me."

"See?" Nora snuggled against his side. "Nothing to worry about." She looked up at him. "So, wanna hit Books n' Brews tomorrow for our first official date-date?"

Ren nodded. The idea of an actual date with Nora made him feel a little giddy. "Sounds good to me."

The two were quiet then as the fireflies continued their show. Hundreds of flickering pinpricks of gold made the field look like a fairyland.

"Hey, Nora?"

"Yes, Ren?"

Ren turned to face her, lightly kissing the tip of her nose. "Boop."

Nora gaped up at him, then hid her face against his chest with an embarrassed squeak.

Ren's heart warmed as he rested his head on top of hers. He thought he heard three muffled words against his shirt, but didn't bother asking for clarification. He already knew.

 **If I die of a fluff overdose due to writing about these two, it will be worth it. I knew that their confession had to be as adorakable as I could make it. Awkward teens, ahoy! I hope I was successful! ^_^**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support in exchange for rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun. This fic is complete on there, if you need some extra incentive.**

 **Peace out!**


	13. Fourth Summer: First Date

**Hey, everyone! Boy, has this week been hell. I come home from work in the evening on Sunday to find that the huge storm that swept through the area knocked down the giant pine tree in the yard, taking out part of the porch and the powerlines. I was without power and heat until yesterday afternoon, hence my silence on Dragon Tuesday. Let me tell you something: electricity is a wonderful thing. So is light. And heat. Seriously, I was so cold these past few days! I had to take my lizard to my neighbor's house so he wouldn't die! Thankfully, we now have power and heat, and Targaryen is back home where he belongs.**

 **This chapter is a nice hunk of fluff. Enjoy!**

Summer. Ren: 17. Nora: 16.

 _Sweet tastes on the tongue_

 _The sun smiles without restraint_

 _Magenta turquoise_

Ren dreamed of the warmth again, which he now knew to be Nora. He wondered why it had taken him so long to realize that it had always been Nora. Who or what else could it have possibly been? When he woke up, he had a smile on his face.

The smile remained as he got dressed, as he packed his things, and as he went outside to sit on one of the benches. His fingers sought out his pencil and notebook immediately, and he found that he couldn't write his newest haiku fast enough.

 _Warmth in the morning_

 _Hopeful words in the daytime_

 _Night's serenity_

It wasn't particularly good, but he didn't care. This one wasn't meant to be shown to anyone. He was just glad to be writing something again, glad to be feeling like this, glad to exist!

 _Maybe Blake needs to stop lending me those romance novels,_ he thought to himself, trying to calm down. No matter what he did, though, he couldn't stop smiling. Thinking about the fact that he was having his first date with Nora that day, his smile widened.

Glynda Goodwitch noted his mood after the workshop that day. "Things are going well, I take it?"

"They are, thank you," Ren replied cheerfully.

"Happier than that last haiku you submitted?"

Ren nodded. "Definitely. That haiku was an old one, just so you know."

"That's good to hear," Glynda replied. "Though sadness does create strong imagery, it's certainly not fun for the author while it's affecting them."

"Agreed." Ren tried not to fidget too obviously. "Was there anything else you wanted to ask me, ma'am?"

Glynda smiled knowingly. "Not at all. Go enjoy your free time. Just don't forget to do your critiques. That's why you're here, at least officially."

Ren smiled sheepishly. "I'll try to remember that."

After saying goodbye to Glynda, Ren hurried toward the path leading out of the park, only to find Nora already waiting for him. The way her face immediately lit up when she saw him was honestly the most beautiful thing he'd seen since the previous night's fireflies. She ran over, lifting him off the ground in one of her signature hugs.

"Hrk! Hi, Nora," he said through gritted teeth.

"Hiya, Ren!" Nora chirped as she put him down. "Ready for our _date_." She giggled a little. "Wow, it feels weird saying that."

"Maybe because you're putting so much emphasis on the word," Ren said, playfully booping her nose. "Let's go."

Nora easily slipped her hand into his, twining their fingers together as she skipped alongside him. "So, get this: Apparently our friends had _bets_ on when we'd get together-together."

"That honestly doesn't surprise me," Ren muttered, rolling his eyes. "Did you get nagged about when you'd confess?"

"Uh, only every single day!" Nora groaned. "Pyrrha tried to not bring it up too much, but Jaune was driving me crazy!"

"Imagine getting tag-teamed daily by Blake and Yang. I hardly got a moment's peace if you were brought up in a conversation."

Nora winced. "Okay, you definitely had it worse than me. Yikes…"

"I'm honestly holding off on calling them," Ren admitted. "I'm worried I'll go deaf in one ear."

"Then, you'd have to get one of those huge horn thingies!"

"Those haven't been in use for decades, Nora."

The two continued to chat until they got to Books n' Brews. Ren, of course, insisted on paying. Nora only put up a token protest before quickly agreeing. They got their usual: cocoa and pink-frosted cake for Nora, green tea and baklava for Ren. For a few minutes, they ate quietly.

"So," Nora piped up. "I know we all love being asked this, but what are you thinking of doing for college?" There was a slight hint of apprehension in her voice, as if she was nervous about what his answer might be.

"Not sure," Ren said honestly. "I've said before that I want to go into animation, but I can't decide if I'd rather be self-taught or not. I mean, college racks up a lot of debt. Thankfully, my part-time job at the bookstore is during the school year, and most of the summer."

"Yeah, you could go freelance, though it'd be hard. I'm sure you could do it!" Nora sipped her cocoa. "Since I'd like to go into fitness training, I'm gonna need some kind of certification."

Ren chuckled. "Just be careful to not overwork your students. You have a higher tolerance for…basically everything physical than anyone else I know."

Nora shrugged. "Eh. I'm sure not killing students with workouts is one of the things you learn."

"I would hope so." Ren took a sip of his tea. "The workshops are going well."

"I'm glad they finally got a teacher who actually helps you! Blake and Jaune really chose the wrong year to quit." Nora paused to finish her cake. "Though, I hope I'm still your best inspiration."

"Of course you are," Ren assured her. "That's not ever going to change."

"Good!" Nora chirped, her cheeks flushing proudly.

After talking for a little while longer, the two browsed through the used books. Then, they went out and walked around town before eventually returning to the park. Ren held gently onto Nora's hand, silently marveling at just how natural this felt. He had just gone on his first ever real date, but it didn't feel any different from any other hangout. Had he done something wrong?

As they drew close to the camp, Nora squeezed his hand. "Ren, you're making a face."

"What face?"

"This face." Nora scrunched her brows and pasted on an exaggerated frown.

"I don't make that face!" Ren protested.

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Don't change the subject. Why are you making a face?" Nora tilted her head. "Didn't you have fun?"

"Of course I did!" Ren said immediately. "I was just thinking that this didn't really feel any different from when we usually hang out. It was nice, but I always thought things were supposed to feel different when people start dating."

Nora thought for a moment before a mischievous smirk suddenly came to her face. "Well, we never did this before!" In one swift motion, she grabbed Ren by the shoulder and pulled him into a surprise kiss.

Ren let out a muffled yelp before feeling himself melting completely. His arms came up to hug Nora against him, and his lips quirked up in an irrepressible smile.

When Nora drew back, she giggled. "Now, you're just making the cutest face in the world!"

Ren's blush deepened. "Nora…"

Nora booped his nose before looping her arms around his shoulders. "Okay, I'll stop embarrassing you."

"No, you won't." Ren softly kissed Nora's flushed cheek, his eyes shining. "I know you too well."

….

Spring. Ren: Age 8 and a half. Nora: Age 8

 _Desolate silence_

 _Smile in the face of mocking_

 _Ignore callous beasts_

It was spring, the sun was shining, and the birds were singing. However, no one was laughing. No one was playing.

Nora sat down at an almost-empty table, wearing two party hats made into horns, staring at a stack of pizza boxes. She sniffled quietly, wiping her eyes.

Ren sat next to her, touching her shoulder, not quite sure what to say. "Do you want pizza?"

Nora shook her head.

"You sure?" Ren asked. "You always feel better when you eat."

"Why doesn't anyone like me, Ren?" Nora muttered, her voice thick with tears.

"I like you!" Ren's response was immediate.

"Why doesn't anyone else, though?" Nora sat up, staring morosely at the boxes.

"Maybe they were busy," Ren suggested.

"I gave out the invitations a month ago. And they all called saying they'd come. Why do you think Mom bought all these pizzas?"

"Maybe they had an emergency at the last minute...?"

"The whole class?"

"Uh…" Ren sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know."

More tears streamed down Nora's cheeks. "I should've expected it. I'm the weirdo who plays in the mud and punches people bigger than me."

"That's what makes you special," Ren insisted. "I don't want you to change."

Nora wiped her eyes before pulling Ren into a tight hug. "I…" She paused, then shook her head, just hugging him closer.

"What?"

Nora moved away and tapped his nose. "Boop."

Ren laughed. "Why do you keep doing that, Nora?"

Nora shrugged. "I dunno. It's just a thing."

Ren took the opportunity to take the top pizza box and open it. "So, you hungry?"

Nora let out a long sigh, then nodded. "Yeah. I'm actually starving."

"Look at the bright side," Ren said as he put two big slices on Nora's plate. "We get all this pizza to ourselves."

"Don't forget the cake," Mrs. Valkyrie said as she stepped outside, bearing a huge, pink-frosted cake. Her smile was a little sad as she looked at her daughter's tearstained face. "And then, we'll open presents. I think you'll like what your father and I got you."

Nora perked up even more. "Is it the new Playstation?"

"The box was shaped like one," Ren whispered, causing her to squeak with excitement.

"Ren!" Mrs. Valkyrie scolded. "Don't ruin the surprise." She chuckled as she cut a huge piece of cake. "It's your birthday, sweetie, so you can eat as much as you want."

Nora's eyes lit up. "As much as I want?"

"Well, make sure to save some for Ren."

Nora giggled. "Well, duh."

Ren nudged her shoulder. "I have a surprise too."

"Ooh, what is it?"

"Well, it starts with the letter p, and involves syrup…"

Nora gasped. "You got me pancakes?!"

Ren grinned. "Nope. I'm making them. Mom taught me how."

Nora's entire body seemed to light up at this new information. She hugged Ren tightly, forgetting her cake for a moment. "Omigosh, Ren! You're the best!"

Ren groaned. "Nora…can't…breathe…"

Mrs. Valkyrie chuckled. "Happy birthday, sweetie."

Ren let out a breath once his ribs were freed, his heart lightening with relief when he saw that Nora's smile was now a genuine one. He knew that he'd always do anything in his power to keep it that way.

…..

Summer. Ren: Age 17. Nora: Age 16.

 _The future looming_

 _Temporary, short farewells_

 _Another summer_

"I still think you should stay in my closet," Nora grumbled as she waited at the bus stop with Ren.

"I think that would be even less appropriate now than it would have been before," Ren pointed out.

"Pfft. Who cares? I don't want you to go!" Nora squeezed him tightly. "I know we're gonna be friends first, but I still wanna do more boyfriend/girlfriend things like hold hands in the hallway, go to prom, and have study dates after school."

"I mean, I can ask my parents if I can come back for prom," Ren suggested.

Nora's eyes sparkled. "Really? You mean it?"

"I can try, anyway," Ren said, not wanting to make any promises until he talked to his parents.

Still, that seemed to be good enough for Nora, who pulled him into another kiss. She seemed incapable of going a minute without doing so, probably because she wanted to make up for lost time.

Ren certainly didn't mind. The simple fact that he could kiss Nora like this felt like the greatest thing in the world. He wasn't sure how he'd be able to handle being in Vale without her. _And what will happen when we go to college?_

Quickly, he pushed the thought aside. There would be time to worry about that in the coming months. For now, he focused on holding his best friend, the girl he loved more than anything. His grip tightened as he heard the bus, as if doing so could cause it to slow down or disappear.

Nora whimpered, nuzzling Ren's neck. "You'll call once you get home, right?"

"Of course." Ren drew back, tapping her nose. "Boop."

Nora giggled, returning the favor. "Boop."

They shared one last kiss as the bus pulled up before Ren reluctantly stepped away from her and boarded. He looked out the window, waving as she tried running alongside the bus for as long as she could. They were both being childish, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

As the bus sped up, he leaned back in his seat, breathing a sigh. He was in a relationship with Nora. Nora was his girlfriend. Even after over a week of being together-together, it didn't seem real. It would probably take forever to fully process this change. Still, at this point, he was sure that it would turn out to be a good change in the end.

Taking out his phone, he dialed Blake, who picked up after a few rings. "Hey, Ren. I haven't heard from you in ages. How was your last week?"

Ren took a deep breath. "Well, Nora and I are together now, and-"

"What?!" There was a pause as the phone made a clicking sound. "Yang! Get over here!"

After a moment of fervent muttering, Yang let out a squeal, then seemed to fumble with Blake's phone for a second. "Okay, you're on speaker. Tell. Us. Everything."

 **One of my friends once told me that birthday parties where no one shows up is one of the saddest kid scenarios ever, and I agree. I mean, there's just something about the image of a kid in a party hat sitting all alone at a table with a cake that bears one or a few melted candles… Great, now I'm getting emotional! Since I can imagine Nora and Ren being young outcasts who only have each other in basically every AU I come up with, I figured such a scenario would probably happen to them. Thankfully, one person shows up in this case, and it's the most important person.**

 **See you next time with the beginning of the fifth and final summer.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support in exchange for rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	14. Fifth Summer: Stealing Hair Ties

**Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We're back with another chapter of this fluffy bit of goodness. Enjoy!**

Spring. Ren: Age 17 and a half. Nora: Age 17.

 _Wry, goofy banter_

 _Relaxed laughter between friends_

 _Smiles across tables_

Ren's cheeks were the color of a bruised apple, and it was taking all of his self-control to keep from hiding his face in his hands. That would only further encourage Yang, after all.

"And don't even get me started on those puppy dog eyes," she was saying, one arm casually slung around Nora's shoulders. "He got them every time you texted him, or whenever he was rereading one of your letters."

"Ren!" Nora giggled, her own cheeks flushing pink. "How come I never get to see that face?"

"Because it's embarrassing, and can we change the subject, please?" Ren muttered, glaring daggers at Yang, who responded with a devilish smirk.

When Nora told Ren that she would be visiting Vale for Spring Break, Ren had been convinced that it was too good to be true. Already, he had been allowed back to Oniyuri to take Nora to the prom. (He still blushed when he thought back to how beautiful she had looked that night.) Now, he got to see her once more before summer? What could go wrong?

He hadn't accounted for the fact that Yang had been dying to meet Nora in person for years now. There was also the fact that she seemed determined to make Ren suffer for taking so long to finally get together-together with his best friend.

Nora, of course, had clicked with Yang immediately and was all too eager to know all about Ren's life in Vale (and a few mildly-embarrassing stories). However, she was quick to notice her boyfriend's growing agitation, and knew that it was time to stop teasing. "So, Ren," she chirped. "Why don't we get lunch at that sushi place you keep telling me about?"

When a nervous look came to Ren's face, she quickly added: "I have money for my own sushi!" Treating someone to coffee and pastries was one thing. Paying for two sushi meals was quite another.

"Sounds good." Noticing Yang's hopeful expression, Ren smiled. "Why don't we make it a double date?"

Yang grinned. "You read my mind!" She whipped out her phone to call Blake. "Hey, kitty-cat! Sushi. Double date. Soon. You in?" There was a pause. "Sweet! Meet you there." She hung up, shaking her head fondly. "She wouldn't say no to sushi if she was in the hospital with the worst stomach pains on the planet," she mused.

At Sakura's Sushi House, the four talked about college. "I've heard good things about Haven's fitness programs," Yang commented. "Congrats, Nora."

"Pyrrha's going there, too!" Nora said excitedly. "We'll be rooming together. And, it's only a half hour bus ride from Beacon." She beamed at Ren, who would be going to Beacon University in the fall with a major in animation.

After much deliberation, and a promise from his parents to pay what could be paid and help with his student loans after graduation, Ren had finally decided on actually going to college. Though he was pretty skilled on his own, it would be nice to learn from professionals, and maybe get the chance to network with other up and coming animators. Honestly, he was mostly going because the college experience of being away from home and being around other people his age with his interests was very appealing.

"I still can't get over that _Halo_ / _Metroid_ fight scene you sent me over the winter!" Nora squealed. "It was soooooo good!"

Ren blushed. "It was decent..."

"Don't even start!" Yang snapped. "You're a natural! Just make sure to remember the rest of us when you're rich and famous."

Nora took a bite of Ren's Fire Dragon roll. "Whoo! That's spicy!" she quickly sipped at her green tea. "Wow, you're right, Ren! This goes great with sushi."

Blake, who had already finished most of her nigiri and all of her tuna roll, was eying the Fire Dragon.

"One piece," Ren said firmly. "And I get that salmon nigiri."

"Deal!" Blake grabbed the spicy piece of sushi with her chopsticks and scarfed it happily.

"Are you going to order any more, Nora?" Ren asked.

"Nope," Nora replied. "This is good, but really expensive. Besides, you promised to make me your special pancakes tonight!"

"It's been a long time since you last had them. Think you can keep from falling into a food coma?"

"Pfft! Have you forgotten who you're talking to?" Nora folded her arms, flashing a confident grin. "I'll be able to eat three helpings and then stay up all night!"

"No R-rated movies this time!"

"But we can legally rent them now!"

"Need I remind you of _Hostel_?"

Nora paled and looked downward. "Ugh… Okay, okay. No R-rated movies."

"If you're looking for R-rated stuff," Yang said, an evil glint coming to her eyes. "You should Google _The Human_ -"

"No, they shouldn't!" Blake snapped, clapping a hand over Yang's mouth. "Don't listen to her! She's crazy!" She glared at her girlfriend. "Just because you were dumb enough to look it up and get scarred doesn't mean you get to do it to others! It's bad enough that I was looking over your shoulder that day…"

"I need more people to share in my pain!" Yang whined as she pushed Blake's hand aside.

"Don't try to look it up!" Blake insisted.

Nora pouted. "Well, now I want to."

Blake shook her head rapidly. "Ren, take her phone! Yang, don't you dare finish saying that title! Nora, you are a happier person not knowing what we're talking about. Trust me!"

Ren snatched Nora's phone as she started typing into Google. He knew by now to trust Blake's judgment, and to never trust Yang when she was grinning like that.

…..

Summer. Ren: 18. Nora: 17.

 _Wind whipping my hair_

 _Summer's final rising sun_

 _Bask in the present_

When Ren got off the bus, he dropped his luggage and met Nora halfway as she surged forward to hug him. Clasping his arms tightly around her midsection, he managed to lift her clear off the ground for a kiss.

Nora squeaked against his mouth before quickly melting into his embrace, tangling one of her hands in his hair and "accidentally" removing his hair tie. She was giggling uncontrollably as Ren placed her back on the ground.

"You're getting strong!" she noted.

Ren bent over slightly, trying to catch his breath. "Not…that strong…" he wheezed. "That…was a one-time…thing…" _My arms… My shoulders… How does Nora lift things so easily?!_

"Maybe we should just stick with me lifting you." Nora stood on her toes to kiss the tip of Ren's nose. "Boop!"

Ren, still gasping, wordlessly tapped her nose in reply. A gust of wind blew his loose hair into his face and he sputtered, giving Nora a stern look. "Pulling out my hair tie again?" She had developed a habit of doing that during her spring visit.

"I still stand by the fact that you look drop-dead gorgeous with your hair down," Nora declared, unapologetically pocketing the tie.

"Are you saying I don't always look gorgeous?" Ren asked, flashing what he hoped was a flirtatious smirk (he still felt like a total amateur when it came to this stuff) and cocking one eyebrow. He knew that it drove Nora crazy when he did that look correctly.

Sure enough, her face turned bright red, and she had to avert her eyes. "Well, of course you always look gorgeous. Having your hair down just takes that and pushes it to, like, god levels!"

She looked up again with a wink. "I want all the other girls to see you and be like 'Wow, I want me that hottie!' Then, BAM! They realize I'm on your arm and fall into despair."

Ren chuckled. "Is this another recurring dream?"

"Maaaaaybe," Nora muttered. "Oh! Guess what? You have a surprise at camp!"

"What kind of surprise?" Ren asked a little nervously.

The surprise turned out to be Jaune. He emerged from their usual cabin with a bright smile on his face. "Hey, roomie!"

"Hello." Ren felt his mood brightening still further at the prospect of rooming with Jaune again, rather than some stranger. He didn't even remember what last year's roommate looked like. "I didn't think you were coming back. Thought you gave up on poetry."

"Well, I'm getting better with the guitar, and thought I'd try writing song lyrics," Jaune said. "Maybe, I dunno, write a song for Pyrrha…"

"Aw!" Nora clapped her hands together, her eyes starry. "That's so sweet!"

"If I can write a good one, yeah," Jaune muttered, rubbing at the back of his neck. "So, Blake decided not to come back?"

"Yeah, she wanted to focus on her job at the library, so she'll have some spending money when college starts."

"I'm sure the extra time with Yang doesn't hurt," Nora quipped.

After unloading their bags, Jaune said he was going to hang out with Pyrrha. "We should all meet up tomorrow after class."

"Sounds good," Ren replied, grateful for the chance to spend some quality time with Nora. He smiled down at her. "The usual places?"

"You know it!" Nora hugged his arm.

"I need to tie my hair back first."

"No, you don't!"

In the end, Nora's wide turquoise eyes convinced Ren to leave his hair down for the time being. They stopped at the candy store, got their usual combination of maple nut candy and pink gummies, walked to the playground, and sat on the bench as the sun started to sink lower in the sky.

Nora leaned contentedly against Ren's side as the number of kids on the playground decreased. She talked about Pyrrha's college prep classes ("Ugh. We already gotta go through the stupid orientation stuff!") and the fact that her mom was already making her start packing ("I mean, seriously! It's two months away!")

"I wonder if I'll be able to sneak off when they start the icebreakers," Ren muttered.

"Ooh, what's that?" Nora asked.

"It's a thing they do during orientations, apparently," Ren explained. "You stand in a circle with the other new people and play games."

"What kinds of games?"

"Stuff like 'One lie, two truths' and something called 'Pterodactyl.'"

Nora tilted her head. "What's 'Pterodactyl?'"

"It's when you turn to the person next to you and screech 'PTERODACTYL' as loud as you can to try to make that person laugh. You're supposed to flap your wings as well." Ren shuddered at the thought.

"That…sounds totally stupid," Nora said. "I think I'll skip out too."

Another breeze blew Ren's hair into his face. He brushed it back irritably. "Can I tie it back now?"

"Hm… Nope!"

"Why?"

"Because I wouldn't be able to do this." Nora reached up and started to gently comb her fingers through Ren's hair.

Ren blinked at the sudden, relaxed feeling that went through him as Nora pet his hair. _That…feels really nice…_ He found himself leaning against Nora, who gladly guided his head to her shoulder. She kissed his brow as she continued her treatment.

"Sleepy from the bus ride?" she murmured as Ren let out a yawn.

"Maybe a little," Ren admitted, nuzzling against Nora's shoulder. "Don't let me doze off, okay?"

Nora giggled. "Okay. It would be pretty cute, though!"

Ren couldn't help but remember their sleepovers, especially the one a few summers ago, when they had made that pact to not date anyone. Ever since he was little, he had drawn comfort from falling asleep next to Nora. Of course, now that they were officially dating, he supposed that asking for a sleepover would have very different connotations. He blushed a little at the thought.

"Know what I still think is funny?" Nora piped up.

"Hm?"

"Beacon and Haven being football rivals, even though both teams suck."

Ren snorted. "Well, you know how it is. Even colleges with bad football teams put all their money into sports. Don't bring it up with Blake. She can rant about that for hours."

"Can't say I blame her," Nora muttered. "Still, I guess this means we can't get each other campus hoodies."

"Eh. Who cares? It's not like we'll get attacked or anything."

"I don't know, Ren. Football fans can get crazy!"

Ren smiled up at her. "I'm sure you could handle them."

"Well, yeah." Nora grinned proudly. "I didn't learn how to bench-press six times my own weight for nothing!"

Ren sat up, giving her a skeptical look. "You're making that up."

"Am not!"

"You definitely are!"

The two bickered playfully until they got back to the park, where Ren kissed Nora goodnight. It was a short kiss, but the warmth was intoxicating nonetheless. Ren wished that he could just bring Nora into the cabin with him, so they could fall asleep together. He knew Jaune wouldn't mind.

 _They do bed checks, Ren,_ he reminded himself. _You'd get in the worst kind of trouble if they found a girl in your bed._

So, he settled for a light tap on the nose before going inside to sleep, ready for his last summer writing camp.

 **I seriously never get tired of writing these two cuties! Also, yes. Pterodactyl is a thing that I had to endure during freshman orientation. It's every bit as stupid as it sounds. If you're about to go into college, find a way to skip the icebreakers. Trust me.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support in exchange for rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Happy Thanksgiving, and peace out!**


	15. Fifth Summer: Looking Back

**Greetings, friends. As I said in my hiatus messages on "Shattered Moon" and "Wings of Dust," I'm going to continue to post chapters of this fic on schedule, as the chapters are already typed and my patrons have seen the whole thing. You've already waited long enough to see the end of this story, after all.**

 **Speaking of writing, I've put more time into some personal projects I'd been neglecting, including an LGBT fairy tale collection, which will hopefully be done and sent to potential publishers by spring or summer. There's also a smaller fantasy novel I'd like to post chapters of on my P/atreon when I reactivate it, but I won't get too ahead of myself and promise anything yet. I will say that it involves dragons.**

 **In the meantime, enjoy.**

Summer. Ren: Age 18. Nora: Age 17.

 _Waiting at crossroads_

 _Savor the taste of freedom_

 _Impending changes_

"I can't believe it," Jaune said as he and Ren left the morning workshop. "Advice I can use!"

"Amazing, isn't it?" Ren leafed through his packet of critiqued haikus. "I think she's actually a professor at the Oniyuri Community College."

"Makes sense. She really knows how to give advice without saying 'You suck!'"

"The other counselors never said that." Ren elbowed his friend's side. "Don't be so dramatic."

"Maybe not explicitly, but they totally did!" Jaune insisted.

Pyrrha and Nora were already at Books n' Brews. Nora, of course, rushed over to hug Ren. "Hi!" she chirped.

Ren's chest swelled as he hugged her back. It didn't matter that they'd been dating for nearly a year now. He still felt happier and luckier than words could ever describe whenever he saw her. "Hi, Nora."

"Ugh. You still sound so bored whenever you say hi to me!"

Ren tilted her head up to kiss her. "You have enough energy for both of us," he murmured against her lips.

Nora giggled, her cheeks flushing pink as she tried hiding her face against his shoulder.

Jaune was shaking his head, a wide smile on his face. "I'm convinced that you guys are too adorable to exist."

Nora stuck out her tongue. "Jealous?"

"Not at all!" Jaune turned his attention to Pyrrha, walking over to the table to kiss her.

"How was the workshop?" she asked, lightly tracing his smile with her thumb.

"Really good, actually," Jaune replied. "Ren wasn't kidding about that new counselor."

The group sat down with their usual drinks and snacks, feeling an overall sense of contentment. They had survived high school, college was coming up, and they'd be living relatively close together. The only way this could be more perfect would be if they were all going to the same college.

Still, Ren couldn't stop that stupid worry in the back of his mind that something would end up changing once they were in college. He already didn't see as much of Blake as he used to. What if they grew apart as this next phase in their life started? As always, he pushed that worry aside in favor of just enjoying the moment.

"I can't wait!" Nora squealed. "Actual freedom. I can taste it!"

"Does it taste like cake and hot chocolate?" Ren asked, eying her food.

"Yes, actually." Nora took a long swig of cocoa and smiled. "Yep. Freedom."

"I just want to be done packing," Pyrrha sighed. "Mom keeps re-packing everything and telling me what I'm going to need. I have to keep telling her that I can't bring the blender with me! The dorms won't allow it."

"Why does she want you to take the blender?" Ren asked, his voice holding no hint of surprise or true confusion. He had learned to just accept that Pyrrha's mother was a little weird. Who else would send their 4.0 student to summer school?

"So she can keep drinking those lame protein powder smoothies," Nora explained, rolling her eyes. "Those things are so stupid. If you want protein, just eat a burger or something."

"It's only a few more weeks." Jaune wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "Then, you can relax. Heck, you could take no extracurriculars if you wanted! There's no way for her to know."

"This is my mom we're talking about," Pyrrha muttered. "She'll find a way."

"I mean, sports teams are one thing, due to game and meets," Ren reasoned. "But our parents won't get emails from clubs that just have on-campus meetings. There's nothing wrong with bending the truth about how many you join."

"Ren!" Nora let out a scandalized gasp. "When did you become a rebel?"

"Around the time I started wearing leather and bought a motorbike so I can ride around with my hair loose- I'm not actually doing that, Nora!" Ren quickly said, noticing the starry look that was coming to his girlfriend's face.

"You totally should, though!" Nora cooed, swooning a little as she conjured up an image of a leather-wearing Ren with his hair down.

"No, Nora."

Nora folded her arms with a huff. "Well, don't put hot images in my head, then. You tease!"

…..

Spring. Ren: Age 9 and a half. Nora: Age 8.

 _Cool, healing touches_

 _Your smile is my medicine_

 _Eyes close to your voice_

"Ren? Are you awake?"

Ren opened his eyes, staring blearily at his door. His face was unbearably hot, but he couldn't stop shivering. "Uh huh…"

"Nora's here, sweetie. Do you want to see her for a few minutes, or should I send her home?"

"No! Let her in!" Ren tried to sit up, only to fall back against his pillow as a wave of dizziness hit him.

"Don't try to sit up! Jeez, Ren. Don't you know how to have a fever?" Nora poked her head in, trying to flash an easy smirk, but failing due to the obvious worry on her face.

"I'm okay, Nora. I just…need to rest." Nora's voice was making Ren's head ache, but he really didn't want to her to leave.

"Don't worry, buddy! Nurse Nora is on duty." Nora took her pink backpack off and started rummaging through it. "Your mom says she took your temperature. I guess that's good, since all I know is that you're supposed to put the thermometer in your mouth. If it explodes, you're gonna die. Did the thermometer explode?"

"Uh, no."

"Good!" Nora let out a sigh of relief. "I would've seriously freaked out. Anyway, I brought ginger ale. Dad says it's good for stomachaches. I also brought ice- Oh… Uh, the ice must have dripped out on the way here…" She rummaged further. "Aw, the pixy stix are ruined!"

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Why did you bring pixy stix?"

"Well, duh! Sugar gives you energy. Energy makes you heal faster!" Nora rolled her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I'm fine, Nora. I had medicine already," Ren insisted. "And…I probably would throw up if I tried eating candy."

Nora put down her bag and sat at the edge of Ren's bed. "Too sick for candy?! This is bad."

"I'll be fine," Ren insisted. "The doctor says it'll just be a few days."

"That's way too long." Nora took Ren's clammy hand, rubbing it between hers. "School's boring without you!"

Ren chuckled dryly. "This is pretty boring too." He squeezed Nora's hand weakly. "And…I really hate not being able to move. Feels like I can't do anything."

"Don't worry, Ren," Nora soothed. "I'll visit you every day till you're better."

"Thank you," Ren sighed. "Could you…stay until I fall asleep?"

Nora gently tapped his nose. "I'm right here!"

Ren closed his eyes, the coolness of Nora's hands keeping him calm as he drifted into a restless, feverish sleep.

…

Summer. Ren: Age 18. Nora: Age 17.

 _Faded, dull colors_

 _Pass into obscurity_

 _Tree roots digging deep_

"Why are we doing this again?" Ren asked as they entered the woods behind Nora's house.

"Closure," Nora replied. "I've seen it in all the movies. Before the heroes go off on their next adventure into adulthood, they visit their childhood hideouts, have awesome flashbacks, and leave with big smiles on their faces."

"Nice to know you're watching something besides cheap slashers…"

Nora led Ren through the trees, holding onto his hand as he painstakingly picked his way through the undergrowth. "Come on, Ren. You're wearing jeans."

"I don't want them to get ripped!" he protested.

"Jeez. When we were kids, we didn't care about that kind of stuff!"

"Well, we're not kids and will be responsible for replacing our clothes if we destroy them once we're away at school." Ren allowed Nora to tug him the rest of the way once he was free of the grabby branches. They weaved through the trees, and Ren noted how much closer together they seemed now. Finally, they entered the clearing.

It was…small. The piece of plywood they had painted years ago was now a mess of faded, blended colors. A deflated soccer ball sat in one spot, half-covered with grass.

Nora was frowning. "This is…depressing," she muttered. "Not like the movies at all."

"Well, we haven't been here in years," Ren pointed out. "Even in our middle school days, we didn't really come here. It makes sense for things to fade like this." He had to agree with Nora, though. Something about the tinier-than-remembered clearing, dead soccer ball, and washed away paintings made him feel incredibly sad and uneasy. It was like the past was so easily changed or erased with time, fading away until it couldn't even be recalled. He felt his grip on Nora's hand tightening.

Nora looked up at him. "You okay?"

"Just…thinking," Ren replied. He let go of Nora's hand and walked over to the soccer ball, giving it a kick. It flopped over a few times, then was still. He approached the plywood and touched it. It felt like regular old rough, wet wood that one would find at a garbage dump. Mold and moss had started growing on it.

"Uh oh," Nora zipped over. "You're getting that sad look again."

"Nothing will be the same," Ren said abruptly, voicing that nagging worry that hadn't gone away ever since his first move to Vale. "As time goes on, nothing will be the same." He looked at Nora, feeling his distress rising. "What if-?"

"Nope!" Nora cut in, reaching up and covering his mouth. "Stop right there! This depressing stuff is part of what kept us from getting together-together way sooner. Don't even start, okay?"

Ren smiled a little despite himself. "Okay." He took Nora's hand and kissed it. "I'm sorry. I just worry."

"Well, don't," Nora said firmly. "We're going to go to college, visit each other all the time, and have lots of fun! And, you know, stupid exam stuff, but don't think about that!" Seeing that the troubled look was still in his eyes, she touched his arm. "Hey. We've changed over the years, and only became better friends because of it. Some things get better with age. Mom says wine does, but I think it just tastes like bad grape juice…"

Ren laughed. "Same." He pulled Nora into a hug. "There are just some things I don't want to change."

"Like us being the best duo in the universe?" Nora grinned. "That isn't changing any time soon! Not if I can help it."

Ren sighed, nuzzling her hair. She could always make him feel better, just with that contagious happiness and optimism. "I love you."

Nora looked up at him, her turquoise eyes alight with that smiling shimmer that he had grown to adore so much. "I love you too, you big worry-wart!" She tapped his nose before pulling him into a long, slow kiss.

Ren closed his eyes, making a noise against Nora's lips. This kiss felt different from the other ones they'd shared in the past. This one seemed to go on forever, sending more and more sparks through his body with each touch, each tightening of his arms or hers. For a moment, he wished that they could grow roots and just continue living on in this exact position forever. No space between them, no need to worry or think about anything else.

It was impossible, of course, but it was definitely a thought worthy of a haiku.

 **I actually wrote this chapter very soon after the "Nurse Nora" episode of** _ **Chibi**_ **. I hate yandere Nora. Who asked to see half of the cutest ship in** _ **RWBY**_ **portrayed as a generic psycho? No one! That's who! So, I decided to treat you to a scene of what Nora caring for a sick Ren SHOULD look like. You're welcome.**

 **Until next time, peace out!**


	16. Fifth Summer: Moving Forward

**Greetings, everyone! We're on our second to last chapter of this little beauty. I'm glad the timing allowed me to post it now, so I can wish a happy Yule to all my Pagan readers. Ya'll can consider this chapter a Nondescript Holiday gift if you like.**

 **Enjoy!**

Spring. Ren: Age 17 and a half. Nora: Age 17

 _Smiles amidst music_

 _Friendly comfort in dark rooms_

 _Away from the noise_

"Oh. My. God. Can you believe these people?" Nora snickered, staring at the limos pulling up in front of the hotel. "They actually rented limos. Like, actual limos! How much money do you think that cost?"

"A good amount, I'm sure," Ren muttered, though he wasn't looking at the limos. His gaze was fixed on Nora, and would absolutely remain there for the entire night.

She was wearing a pale pink, shimmering, shoulder-less dress that made everything about her shine even more than it usually did. She wore flat shoes ("Because heels suuuuuck."), and her wrist bore the rose corsage Ren had bought her. As she clung to his arm, the lights around them reflecting off of her turquoise eyes, Ren felt like the luckiest person in the world. He was convinced that any couple who walked past them had to be secretly jealous, because they could never measure up to how purely wonderful Nora was.

Ren wore a simple tux with a green tie. He had also caved to Nora's begging and left his hair down. The adoring looks she kept giving him made the slight annoyance worth it.

"I mean, seriously. This hotel is only being used because it's slightly bigger than any building in Oniyuri. What are they trying to prove?" Nora looked up at Ren, blushing and making a noise when she caught him staring. "Ugh, you're making that weird cute face again!" she groaned, hiding her face against his arm.

Ren's own blush deepened. Nora had no right to be this adorable on top of being so gorgeous! "Sorry?" he ventured, not the least bit repentant.

Nora lightly punched his arm, giggling. "You're such a dork. Ready to hit the dance floor?"

"Of course!" Ren resisted the urge to rub at his arm. Nora really didn't have any concept of what a gentle punch was. Between her and Yang, it was honestly a surprise that Ren's limbs still functioned correctly.

The dance floor was crowded and sweaty. Several students were grinding in their fancy tuxes and dresses. Nora and Ren stayed near the edge, where Jaune and Pyrrha were.

"Jeez, someone put a censor bar over these guys!" Nora shouted over the music, shaking her head at one of the couples in the deeper crowd. "What are they even doing?"

"Don't look, Nora," Pyrrha advised. "They're just suffering delusions of sexual maturity."

"Ooh! That was a burn!" Jaune laughed.

"Yeah," Ren agreed. "Too bad none of them heard."

Dinner consisted of three-star-hotel-quality food, which was as mediocre as one would expect without being outright boring. As the night went on, the dance floor became emptier and emptier of the kids who either went to after-prom or somewhere else. At one point, Jaune and Ren found themselves in an intense dance-off that ended with both boys panting and both girls applauding enthusiastically.

The four split after the lights came on. Jaune and Pyrrha had tickets for a late-night horror marathon. Nora had initially wanted to go, but decided against it when she saw that _The Ring_ was in the line-up. "Have fun!" she called. "I'll be having fun sleeping without nightmares, thank you!"

Ren chuckled. "So, what should we do now?" Nora's parents wouldn't be picking them up for another hour or so.

"Hm. There's a really nice iHop down the street."

"You want to go to iHop," Ren said flatly.

"Uh, yeah. Pancakes."

"iHop. After prom."

"Yep!"

"In our prom clothes."

"I just said it's a nice one!"

Ren couldn't help but grin. This was just so purely Nora. "Okay, then."

A little while later, they were sitting in a booth, munching pancakes while trying to keep syrup from getting on their clothes. They got a few odd looks from the other late-night customers.

"They probably expect us to be doing whatever the other prom kids are doing," Nora commented.

"What do you think they're doing now?" Ren wondered.

"A bunch probably are going home and chilling like reasonable people. Some might be going to the movies like Jaune and Pyrrha. Then there's after-prom. Seriously, what is the point of after-prom?! A bunch probably found places to, well, you know." Nora raised an eyebrow, flashing a scandalous grin.

Ren rolled his eyes, though he had to agree after seeing some of the dancing at that prom. "A bunch of bad decisions all around," he murmured. "Nice to know that we're the smart ones."

"Totally." Nora took a few bites of pancake, her face taking a more thoughtful expression.

"What are you thinking?" Ren asked.

"Um…" Nora hesitated. "Ren, have you ever thought about…you know…?"

Ren blinked, then realized what Nora was asking. "Ah. What…some of the prom kids may or may not be doing?" When Nora nodded, he glanced at his plate, picking at his last pancake.

"If this is weird, we can change the subject!" Nora said quickly.

"No, it's fine. I'm just thinking." Ren swirled the syrup around, trying to dissipate the blush on his face and the slight fluttering in his stomach. He had to be careful with this.

"Yeah," he finally said. "I have. Not as much as others probably do, but I have thought about it." He managed to look Nora in the eye and smile. "Hard not to with someone like you as a girlfriend."

Nora's face turned bright red and she quickly took a swig of chocolate milk.

"But…I'm not in any hurry," Ren continued. "Most of the people…doing that tonight are couples that probably won't last. They want to rebel and feel like adults, or they want to feel what they think they're supposed to be feeling at this age. I don't really have anything to rebel against, though. And I'm fine with us just the way we are."

Nora smiled, though her cheeks were still red. "Yeah, me too. I mean, I've also thought about…that. But, maybe it's better to wait till we're a little older. You know, when we can actually _say_ what we're talking about."

Ren snickered. "Probably. And when we know more about what to actually do than what we learned in health class."

"Ugh! Don't even remind me of those courses! They just showed a ton of STD pics and tried to scare us! It was so freaking gross!"

"They made us sign an abstinence contract at Vale."

"What?! No way!" Nora gasped. "Did you sign it?"

"No. I refused. Yang wrote 'Fuck the sex police!' on it. Got detention for a week."

"You know, I really like Yang!" Nora commented.

"Me too," Ren agreed. The waitress came by, and he asked for the check. "So, did you have a good time tonight?"

"Totally!" Nora grinned. "I can't wait till we go to college, and can go to actual dance clubs!"

"As long as the music doesn't make me deaf," Ren muttered. After paying, he and Nora went outside to wait for Mrs. Valkyrie. "Hey, Nora?"

"Yeah?"

Ren tapped her nose. "Boop."

Nora giggled, pulling Ren into a quick but warm kiss. "Boop yourself!"

…..

Summer. Ren: Age 18. Nora: Age 17.

 _Summer's setting sun_

 _An uncertain moon rises_

 _Strange stars flickering_

Ren felt his heart sink as the last workshop of the summer ended and the students got up from their seats. This was it. Camp was over for him. Tomorrow, he'd be going back to Vale to prepare for college. His gut twisted at the thought, but he couldn't tell if it was from nerves or excitement.

He was broken from his thoughts as Glynda walked over. "I hope this year's camp has helped your writing," she said.

Ren smiled. "It's helped with a lot of things, Miss Goodwitch. Thank you."

"Do you think you'll continue to write after this?"

"I think so, though it'll mostly be personal, not professional," Ren admitted. He might decide to write some poems or more complex stories for his animations, if he was inspired enough, but that wouldn't be his main focus.

"Nothing wrong with that," Glynda assured him. "Not everything has to be in preparation for a career. Too many people your age forget that." She shook his hand as he stood up. "Well, I'm sure that you have places to be. Good luck, Ren."

"Thank you, ma'am!" Ren left the classroom and headed outside, where Jaune was waiting for him. "Books n' Brews?"

Jaune grinned. "You know it!"

The two left the camp grounds and walked toward the path to town, where Nora and Pyrrha were already waiting for them. Nora was waving a hand angrily in front of her face while holding another over her nose and mouth.

"Blech! Blech! What is with these stupid gnats?!" She darted to one side, waving her hand around as if she was warding off evil spirits.

"There are a lot of them out," Ren noted, moving away from a nearby cloud.

"They always get in my face!" Nora complained. "Don't they know I don't want to breathe them in? Ugh. So gross." She pulled the collar of her shirt over her nose. "Can we go to where it's air-conditioned and not filled with bugs, please?"

The gnats mostly left them alone once they left the park, but Nora didn't pull her shirt back down until they were inside Books n' Brews. She let out a groan. "Summer weather sucks. I swear, if you weren't here for camp every year, and if this wasn't when we didn't have school, it would be the worst," she said to Ren.

"I guess we'll learn to hate summer once we graduate and are actual adults," Jaune speculated. "Winter too, actually. I'm already starting to hate snow."

"What? Snow is awesome!" Nora protested.

"It won't be when we have to walk to our classes," Ren noted. "And when we have to drive… Wow, I'm starting to sound like my dad."

"At least fall and spring will always be grand," Pyrrha said. Everyone nodded in agreement to that.

"Especially fall. Ooh!" Nora gasped. "I just realized: College Halloween parties!" Her eyes sparkled excitedly at the thought. "Guys. This will be amazing."

"Just as long as there's no alcohol," Ren said firmly.

Nora tilted her head. "We're going to college. Isn't that what college people do."

"No underage drinking, Nora. That's something I won't budge on." Ren gave her a stern glare. "Just because it's 'what college people do' doesn't mean it's what we should be doing."

Nora shrugged, not putting up too much of a fight. "Oh, fine. Beer tastes nasty anyway."

"I've heard that good beers exist," Jaune said. "But college kids never buy it. We need to beware of frat boys too."

"Why's that?" Pyrrha asked.

"Bad influence. According to my sisters, frat boys are like a herd of wild animals who are constantly on the hunt for lame parties and cheap alcohol."

"Words to live by." Ren nodded. "With what I've seen on the news about those hazing rituals, I'm perfectly fine with avoiding that whole scene."

"If anyone tried hazing you, I'd break their legs!" Nora growled, her eyes blazing.

"I know you would." Ren kissed her cheek, smiling warmly. "I just would rather not make it necessary."

"I heard that both Haven and Beacon have Dagorhir groups," Pyrrha commented. "That may be fun."

"What's Dagorhir?" Ren wondered.

"Oh, it's totally cool!" Nora said eagerly. "You dress up in costumes and beat each other up with foam weapons!"

"Huh."

The four continued to talk over their food and drinks. Ren found himself savoring his usual order more than he had before. The flaky, light, honey-drenched baklava seemed sweeter than usual, and the green tea was particularly crisp. Did it seem that way because it would be his last time having it for a while? He had never noticed anything like this during the previous summers.

Nora nudged his arm. "Hey! You're making a gloomy face!"

Ren quickly smiled. "No. Just thinking."

"Promise you're not thinking gloomy stuff?"

"Uh…"

"Thought so." Nora pulled him to his feet. "Come on. We're going for a walk. See you two later!" she said to Jaune and Pyrrha.

Jaune waved, already reaching for Nora's half-finished cake with his other hand. "See you."

Once they were outside, Ren turned to his girlfriend. "Nora, I'm honestly fine."

"Uh huh." Nora nuzzled against his shoulder. "Fine isn't good enough. We're gonna walk to all our favorite places, and you're gonna be super happy at the end. Got it?"

Ren kissed the top of her head. "I'm happy, Nora. Honest. I'm just nervous, that's all. I think we all are."

"Yeah," Nora admitted. "College is pretty big." She slipped her hand into his. "But, I'm not too worried. You'll be just a bus ride away! I can handle anything if you're around."

Ren's gaze softened. "Likewise."

The two held tightly onto each other's hands as they went for one final walk around Oniyuri. They went to the candy store, the playground, and passed by the old arcade. As they walked, Ren couldn't help but notice how small everything looked. Was it because of his time in Vale, or because he himself was growing? What would Oniyuri be like to him and Nora in a few years? What would they be to each other in a few years?

As they walked, reality seemed to settle over both of them. They were in the last few weeks of being high school graduates. Soon, they would be college freshmen. Adults. No matter how much they masked their nerves, neither one could deny how ridiculously surreal it all felt.

As they approached camp, Nora looked up. "Hey, Ren?"

"Yes, Nora?"

She hugged his arm. "You'll always be important to me. You know that, right? Even if we change and other things change, that won't change. You know what I mean?"

Ren smiled, returning her hug gladly. "I know. It is nice to be reminded sometimes, though."

"Yeah?" Nora giggled. "Maybe I should text you every hour to tell you that!"

"I don't need to be reminded _that_ much, silly!" Ren ruffled her hair, his smile widening at the sound of her laugh. "Thanks."

"Hey, it's what I'm here for." Nora stood on her toes, kissing Ren's nose. "Love you!"

Ren brushed his lips against hers. "I love you too. See you at the bus stop tomorrow."

"I'll be there. Maybe I can slash the tires, so they can't take you…"

"Nora, no."

"Nora, yes!" Nora winked before skipping down the path.

Ren walked back toward the darkening campsite, nervously anticipating his departure from Oniyuri in just a few hours. The future, with whatever it held, was approaching way too quickly. Still, he and Nora were walking toward that future together. He could handle anything else as long as he remembered that.

 **We are at the end of the five summers, but not the end of the story quite yet. The next and final chapter will be the epilogue, so stay tuned! I hope that, whatever you guys celebrate, that you're celebrating with the important people in your life, and are filled with joy during this season. Eat candy, open presents, and try not to freeze your ass off. I'll see you in two weeks, and hopefully again in February, when I plan on ending my hiatus. Things will be fun then, because my ship list has changed quite a bit over the course of Volume 5, and will likely inspire a bunch of new oneshots once my writing schedule opens up a bit more at the end of "Shattered Moon."**

 **Peace out!**


	17. Epilogue: Four Summers Later

**Greetings, friends. This week finds me in a bit of a pit. It's snowing over here, and is in single digits temperature-wise, which means walking through un-shoveled sidewalks and freezing my face off to get to and from one job, and walking through even more snow to get to the various bus stops required for the other. I'm more exhausted than ever, often collapsing on my bed as soon as I get home. I got another rejection from another magazine for one of my short stories, and was recently told that I complain too much and am not doing enough to try and change my current situation. Because clearly, working two jobs six days a week and abandoning sleep in favor of getting at least some writing done isn't enough.**

 **Honestly, I think this hiatus is hurting me more than it's helping me. I'm working on rebuilding the backlog for my fics, so I won't have to be away from here again. I miss the regular postings at night, and reading your reviews while I sit on the bus.**

 **Well, that's enough gloomy stuff. Let's step away from a cruddy winter, and into a fluffy summer. Enjoy!**

Summer. Ren: Age 22. Nora: Age 21.

 _Ends and beginnings_

 _Dancing in the firefly lights_

 _The rest of our lives_

The biggest picnic area in the Oniyuri park was full of people. The grills were blazing as Ren and Nora's fathers cooked hot dogs and burgers. Jaune was playing Frisbee with his sisters while Pyrrha pretended to listen to her mother rattling on about what a college graduate should be doing next. Blake and Yang, who had taken a bus from Vale, were on their way to rescue Pyrrha from her mother's droning.

Ren sat on a picnic table, watching Nora with a skeptical look as she scarfed down her tenth cupcake of the night. "Maybe you should take a break," he suggested.

Nora rolled her eyes, taking a swig of soda. "Relax, Ren. I'm making up for all the energy I lost dealing with finals. I mean seriously! I think they were actually trying to kill us."

"They couldn't have," Ren pointed out. "They wouldn't have gotten their student loans then."

"Yes, they would! Student loans are, like, the only loan that isn't forgiven if you die! Our next of kin would've had to pay."

Ren gaped. "Seriously?"

"Uh huh."

"It's bad enough that we get charged interest _while we're at school_!"

"I know, right?"

"I hope you two aren't angsting about student loans over here," Mrs. Valkyrie said as she walked over, placing a platter of cookies on the table. "There's plenty of time for that later. Enjoy the party."

"I'm trying, but Ren's telling me to lay off the cupcakes," Nora complained, making a face at her boyfriend.

Mrs. Valkyrie chuckled. "Ren, you should know by now that it's no use. I gave up ages ago."

"You were always a smart woman," Ren acknowledged.

"She sure is," Nora chirped, casually snitching another cupcake.

It was then that Blake and Yang came over. "Okay," Yang said. "Before I forget, did you actually run across a covert drug operation during your last semester?"

Nora laughed nervously, scooting away from her mother's raised eyebrow. "Well, I don't have any actual proof."

"They were girl scouts, Nora," Ren said flatly.

"I swear those cookie samples smelled funny! And there was way too much 'sugar' on top of them!"

"You're exaggerating."

"Also, they all kinda sounded like me. I think someone's trying to make a clone army, or something. We should all be afraid."

Rolling her eyes and looking distinctly relieved, Mrs. Valkyrie walked off to check on the burgers.

Ren chuckled and ruffled his girlfriend's hair. "Don't worry. They could never replicate you."

"Ooh, you were quick on that one," Yang said with a wink. "Look who's becoming a smooth-talker!"

"It's because he's been reading my books," Blake said proudly.

"No, if I took advice from those books, I'd likely have several bruises due to Nora giving me a well-deserved punch."

"Oh, please," Nora snorted. "They can't be that bad. What kinds of lines do the guys use?"

Blake scooted close and whispered something into Nora's ear.

Nora's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Huh. Hey, Blake?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I borrow-?"

"No," Ren cut in.

"I'm an adult! You can't tell me what to do!"

"They'd be a bad influence."

"I dunno," Yang said, waggling her eyebrows. "You may end up enjoying that influence when you kids are alone."

"Yang!" Ren's face turned bright red while Nora burst out laughing.

"I'll send you a list," Blake whispered. "They're all on Amazon."

"Not helping, Blake!" Ren groaned.

They spent some time with Jaune and Pyrrha, discussing what was going to happen next. Jaune, who had started writing songs and releasing them on Youtube, would continue to build up a following while finding somewhere to work that would allow him to save up for an apartment. Pyrrha had been offered a position at a martial arts school near Haven, and would be teaching beginner courses there. Blake would keep writing while working full-time at the Vale library. Yang had ended up going to bartending school, and was already making a tidy sum. Nora would be looking into getting a job as a gym teacher in the Haven district while working on her exercise videos. Ren was preparing for the release of his newest animation, a complex fight scene between a girl with a scythe and a pack of werewolves. He had modeled the girl off of Ruby, much to her delight.

"Real world, here we come!" Nora said with a nervous laugh. "Think we're ready?"

"We've got each other," Jaune pointed out. "And our families. Even if things don't work out at first, we have each other's backs."

"It'll work out, somehow," Pyrrha said confidently. "The years right after college can be a bit disorienting, but I'm sure we'll make it."

Ren nodded in agreement. "I'm sure of it." He glanced at Nora, smiling softly. He knew he'd be fine if he had Nora with him. And, if things went well, she would be with him all the time from now on. He just needed to wait until it got a little darker.

After dinner and a few drinks, Ren passed by his dad, who discreetly slipped a small box into his pocket. He winked once, then went to help Mr. Valkyrie clean up.

"Hey, Nora." Ren approached Nora, not bothering to scold her as she quickly scarfed some more cookies. "Don't choke on those."

"Mmph." Nora swallowed. "Please, Ren. I'm better than that."

"Uh huh." Ren offered his arm. "Come on. Our dads have cleanup covered."

Nora took his arm, her smile tinged with curiosity, her eyes glittering. "Ooh, you're being mysterious! Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

The two walked down the park paths until they reached a familiar area: the camp. No one was there yet, and it looked almost like a tiny ghost town. Nora urged Ren to walk through it, just to see if there were actually any ghosts.

The cabins were locked tightly, and the window blinds were all closed. A few raccoons scuttled from building to building. When Ren spotted a skunk, he quickly steered Nora back toward his intended path.

The firefly field was pretty sparsely lit, considering how early it was in the summer, but there were enough flickering lights around to make it magical just the same. Nora sighed happily as she looked around.

"Not much has changed," she noted. "The log's gone, though."

"It was half-rotten four years ago," Ren pointed out. He led her to the center of the field, where they had a clear view of the stars overhead. Tiny white pinpricks of light above rivaled the larger, floating yellow dots that surrounded them. Nora caught a firefly on her finger and stared at it until it flew off again.

Ren took a deep breath. It was now or never. "Nora, I have a new haiku. I was wondering if you wanted to see it."

Nora perked up. "Omigosh! You've barely written any since we started college. Gimme!"

The corner of Ren's mouth quirked as he withdrew a piece of paper from his pocket. It was carefully folded and had a watercolor picture of a field overrun with pink and green fireflies.

Nora took it, her eyes wide and eager. Ren counted the seconds as he watched her eyes dart across the page. In his head, he repeated the words he had written. It wasn't his best haiku by any means, but it was the most important one he had ever put to paper.

 _Our pact is still firm_

 _My heart has always been yours_

 _Will you marry me?_

The moment Nora's eyes widened, Ren took the opportunity to get down on one knee. He could feel himself shaking and his face burning. He fumbled a bit when he withdrew the box from his pocket and opened it to reveal the ring his father's mother had been given by her husband. Ren had never met his adopted grandmother, but his father had assured him that she would want him to have her ring for this.

Despite his shaking, his voice didn't waver. "Nora, you mean more to me than anyone. You always have, and I know you always will. I've gone through so many changes ever since I moved to Vale, and was only able to handle them because I knew you were there for me. Whatever happens next, I want us to move forward together. I-" 

"YES!" Nora squealed, unable to hold back any longer. "Whoops, sorry. Sorry. I'll let you finish. You probably planned this whole thing out. Shutting up now!" She put a hand on her mouth, though there were tears streaming down her cheeks, and she couldn't keep from bouncing up and down on her heels.

Ren could feel himself crying as well. He couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled like this. "Well, now I forgot the rest," he said, letting out a tearful laugh as he stood up, pulling Nora into a long, deep kiss.

Nora moaned happily against him, tangling her fingers in his hair. He could feel her pulling out his hair tie yet again, but couldn't bring himself to care. All that mattered that he was holding the woman he loved more than anything in his arms. _My fiancé,_ he thought, a jolt going through his body at the foreign, but oh-so-welcome term.

They pulled away for a quick breath before Nora pulled Ren in again. It was like they needed this closeness more than air. Eventually, lightheadedness reminded them that they actually did need to breathe properly, and they reluctantly parted.

"Omigosh," Nora gasped. "Ren, I love you so much! I can't- This is just- EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" She hugged him tightly, nuzzling against his shoulder.

Ren sighed, kissing the top of her head and closing his eyes. Then, he stiffened. "I just dropped the box."

Immediately, the two were on the ground, searching for the ring. Thankfully, it had remained in the box when it fell. Ren quickly put it on Nora's hand to avoid a further catastrophe. Nora gaped at it, holding her hand up in the limited light. "Okay, this is the part I'm supposed to wake up."

Ren grinned. "Are you saying this is a recurring dream for you?"

"Well, duh!" Nora said, rolling her eyes. "I'm dating the most awesome person in the world. Why wouldn't I fantasize about this?"

Ren rubbed at the back of his neck. "So, how did the real experience compare?"

Nora answered him with another long, excited kiss. "Hm. It'll do," she muttered, winking playfully as she drew back.

Ren touched his lips to the tip of her nose. "Boop." As always, Nora giggled and hid her face against his chest.

It had been nine summers since that first camp, and many more since that fateful first meeting when they were kids. Now, Ren knew for certain that there would be many more summers to come, decades to look forward to with Nora at his side. No matter what, he would always be ready for whatever life would throw at him in the future.

This was the first summer of the rest of their lives.

 **Have I said already that I can't get enough of these dorks? Because I honestly can't get enough of these dorks! I'd like to thank everyone for following this fic till the end, and sticking around through the several-month hiatus it went through. It was definitely a fun one to write, and I feel like this is the fluffy ending it deserves. I have always enjoyed playing around with Ren in my fics, due to how quiet he is in canon. And Nora is a precious treasure who none of us will ever truly deserve. Just…Team Sloth, guys. It's beautiful.**

 **I'll see you guys hopefully in February, when I plan on coming out of my unfortunate hibernation.**

 **Until then, peace out!**


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